Choline Chloride-urea Research Articles

Study on Extraction and Bioactivity of Polysaccharides from Viburnum sargentiiKoehne with Deep EutecticSolvent.

The fruits of Viburnum sargentiiKoehne (Vsk) are rich in bioactive polysaccharides and polyphenols, which exhibit anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and hypoglycemic properties. This study explored the use of deep eutectic solvents (DES), specifically urea-choline chloride, as a green extraction medium to maximize polysaccharide yield from Vsk polysaccharides. Extraction conditions, including solvent composition, temperature, and time, were optimized using response surface methodology, achieving significantly higher yields and purity compared to hot water extraction. The polysaccharides extracted through DES showed a more homogeneous molecular structure, with reduced protein and pigment impurities. Bioactivity assays confirmed potent antioxidant and hypoglycemic effects, with DES-extracted polysaccharides displaying enhanced reducing power, free radical scavenging capabilities, and notable α-amylase inhibition compared to those obtained by conventional methods. These findings highlight DES extraction as an effective approach not only to improve yield and purity but also to enhance the bioactivity of extracted compounds. Consequently, DES-extracted Vsk polysaccharides show potential for use in developing functional foods and nutraceuticals. This study advances sustainable extraction technologies, positioning Vsk polysaccharides as valuable bioactive compounds with promising health applications.

Choline Chloride–Urea Deep Eutectic Solvent/Cu–Mn Iminodiacetate Coordination Polymer as an Efficient Catalytic System for Synthesis of Morita–Baylis–Hillman Adducts with Antimicrobial Activity

Choline Chloride–Urea Deep Eutectic Solvent/Cu–Mn Iminodiacetate Coordination Polymer as an Efficient Catalytic System for Synthesis of Morita–Baylis–Hillman Adducts with Antimicrobial Activity

Extraction of Penicillin G From Dairy Products Using Deep Eutectic Solvent/Alginate Beads Enhanced via Layered Double Hydroxides.

A new nanocomposite based on alginate microbeads impregnated with novel strontium-aluminum layered double hydroxide (Sr-Al LDH) incorporated with choline chloride-urea deep eutectic solvent (ChCl-U DES) was introduced. The microbeads and LDH were characterized by adsorption/desorption isotherms, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, SEM, and x-ray diffraction. The adsorbent was employed for determining penicillin G (PENG) using dispersive solid-phase extraction prior to HPLC analysis. The extraction efficiency of the adsorbent, compared with that of unmodified alginate, showed a 2.5-fold increase. Significant parameters, including elution conditions, sorbent composition and mass, adsorption time, and sample pH, were optimized. The LOD was 0.4µg kg-1, and the linear range was 1.4-500µg kg-1. The LOQ (1.4 µg kg-1) was lower than the established maximum level for PENG by the European Union (4 µg kg-1). Enrichment factor and synthesis reproducibility were also investigated. The method's accuracy was evaluated through PENG analysis in dairy products and water, with recoveries of 81%-107% (RSDs<7.6%). The procedure's greenness was assessed using the Analytical Eco-scale and achieved excellent green credentials. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the synthesis and application of a novel alginate composite for the extraction of PENG from dairy and water samples.

Choline chloride-Urea based deep eutectic Solvent: Characterization, interfacial behavior and Synergism in binary (surfactant) systems

The paper focusses on the synthesis and characterization of choline chloride: urea (molar ratio 1:2) DES. The influence of the varying DES concentration on the surface and interfacial behavior of low-concentration commercial surfactant (cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide) was examined. The incorporation of DES into the surfactant solution resulted in an augmentation of electrophoretic mobility and absolute zeta potential values, indicative of enhanced surfactant adsorption at the interface. Sessile drop measurements demonstrated the capacity of binary mixture to modify the wettability of sandstone from intermediate-wet state to water-wet condition. In summary, physicochemical evaluation revealed the capability of DES to augment the self-assembly and wetting behavior of surfactant at low concentrations (below critical micelle concentration). The observed phenomenon in these solvents primarily finds utility in nanoscience, drug delivery systems, colloids, catalysis, and applications in many other fields.

Chemical-Functional Analysis of Extracts Obtained from Zuccagnia punctata Powder Using Green Solvents (NaDESs) in Conjunction with Traditional and Non-Traditional Techniques.

Zuccagnia punctata Cav. (Family Fabaceae. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae) is a native plant species with a long history of use in Argentine traditional medicine. The purpose of the present study was to extract bioactive compounds with antioxidant and antifungal activity from Z. punctata aerial parts using conventional solvents (water, ethanol 60°, vegetal oil) and unconventional solvents (natural deep eutectic solvents or NaDESs) such as green solvents with and without the assistance of ultrasound (UAE) and microwaves (MAE). NaDESs such as glucose: lactic acid (LGH), sucrose: citric acid (CAS), choline chloride: urea (CU) and glucose: fructose: sucrose (FGS) were used. LGH and CU were effective in the extraction of phenolic compounds (6710 ± 10.12 µg GAE/mL and 7140 ± 15.00 µg GAE/mL, respectively) as well as ethanol (6270 µg ± 12.00 µg GAE/mL) using conventional methods. Two chemical markers of Z. punctata (2',4'-dihydroxychalcone and 2',4'-dihydroxy -3-methoxychalcone) were extracted in a high proportion in ethanol, oil, LGH and CU with UAE. The ABTS antioxidant capacity was higher in the extracts obtained with LGH and CU (SC50: 0.90 ± 0.10 µg GAE/mL and 1.08 ± 0.16 µg GAE/mL, respectively). The extract obtained with vegetal oil was the most potent as antifungal, followed by the extracts in ethanol, LGH and CU. These findings highlight the importance of using environmentally friendly solvents such as NaDESs to obtain bioactive metabolites from Z. punctata, an endemic plant of Argentina with a potential application in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

Extraction, Characterization, and In Vitro Biological Activity of Polyphenols from Discarded Young Fig Fruits Based on Deep Eutectic Solvents.

(1) Background: Discarded young fig fruits (DYFFs) result in a waste of resources, such as sparse fruits and residual fruits, and there has been no research on the relationship between phenolic compounds and biological activity in DYFFs (2) Methods: Different deep eutectic solvents (DESs) and 80% ethanol were used to prepare DYFF extracts, and polyphenol extraction efficiency and bioactivities in the DYFFs extracts were compared. (3) Results: More than 1700 phytochemicals were identified in DYFFs, and thirteen of these typical phenolic compounds were analyzed quantitatively; chlorogenic acid, rutin, luteolin 8-C-glucoside, and epicatechin are the main polyphenols in DYFFs, especially chlorogenic acid with 2720-7980 mg/kg. Ferulic acid, caffeic acid, epicatechin, (+)-catechin, luteolin 8-C-glucoside, rutin, hesperetin, and chlorogenic acid showed different degrees of correlation with in vitro antioxidant activity. Moreover, the highest total phenol content found in the extracts of ChCl-Ethylene glycol (Choline chloride:Ethylene glycol = 1:2) was 8.88 mg GAE/g DW, and all quantitatively analyzed phenolic compounds had high levels in various DESs and 80% ethanol. The 80% ethanol and Choline chloride (ChCl) solvent system showed the greatest antioxidant properties, and the Choline chloride-Urea (Choline chloride: Urea = 1:2) extract of DYFFs exhibited the highest inhibitory activity. (4) Conclusions: DESs have demonstrated potential as promising green solvents, especially the ChCl solvent system, which facilitates the extraction of polyphenols.

Optimization of Cellulose Recovery Using Deep Eutectic Solvent Fractionation: A Response Surface Method Approach

Lignocellulosic biomass is a crucial renewable energy source for producing biofuels and valuable compounds, making it an attractive alternative to fossil resources. In this study, an environmentally friendly method was developed for cellulose fractionation from sugarcane bagasse using deep eutectic solvents (DESs), focusing on achieving high cellulose purity and specific physicochemical properties. The effects of different parameters were investigated by comparing four DESs: choline chloride–lactic acid (ChCl-LA), choline chloride–glycerol (ChCl-G), choline chloride–urea (ChCl-U), and choline chloride–polyalcohol (ChCl-P), under various reaction temperatures and times. The fractionation process was conducted under standard conditions at a temperature of 100 °C for 120 min with a 1:1 molar ratio. The results indicated that all DESs produced comparable cellulose recovery, ranging from 91.83% to 97.07%. A relatively high cellulose recovery was observed in the presence of ChCl-LA, at 95.47%. In addition, ChCl-LA demonstrated the highest efficiency in removing hemicellulose and lignin, at 95.36% and 93.38%, respectively, and high recovery yields of 70.45% for hemicellulose, and 70.66% for the lignin fraction. The fractionation conditions were further optimized using response surface methodology (RSM), achieving a ChCl-LA ratio of 1:2 v/v at 120 °C for 120 min. This resulted in impressive yields: 97.86% cellulose recovery, 96.50% hemicellulose removal, 74.40% hemicellulose recovery, 77.3% lignin recovery, and 71.5% lignin yield from sugarcane bagasse. These results closely match the predicted values, emphasizing the effectiveness of the process and its potential for economic application in lignocellulosic biorefinery operations.

Mechano-chemical, high-consistency activation of kraft pulp in deep eutectic solvent of choline chloride and urea

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) offer an appealing green medium for the activation of cellulose fibres to promote their swelling, reactivity, hydrolysis, disintegration, and solubility for further processing. Typically, DES treatments are carried out below 5 wt% consistency even though a higher solids content could enhance the fibre activation and reduce the solvent consumption. In this work, a high-consistency (HC) mechano-chemical activation of bleached softwood kraft pulp was elucidated using a simultaneous fibre treatment with DES of choline chloride-urea and a sigma-type kneader or a twin-screw extruder at a solids content of 15–35 wt% and 30 wt%, respectively. Both HC treatments efficiently triggered fibre swelling, which was indicated by an increase in the fibre width, and loosened the cell wall structure which was indicated by an increase in the mesopore volume. Mechano-chemical HC processing generated fibre fines and external fibrillation, while the molecular-level structural alteration or changes in chemical composition were minor; the intrinsic viscosity and the crystallinity of the pulp remained at their initial level and only a small amount of xylan was dissolved. Overall, HC treatment in a twin-screw extruder caused notably more severe morphological changes in the fibres than batch treatment in a sigma-type kneader. Thus, the mechano-chemical HC treatment with DES provides an industrially relevant technology for cellulose modification and opens possibilities to enhance heterogeneous cellulose modification processes in which the highly available surface area of pulp is a key parameter.

Decarboxylation of Hydroxybenzoic Acids to Phenol Via Deep Eutectic Solvents.

The development of greener and more sustainable synthesis processes for manufacturing commodity chemicals is of great importance. The majority of current phenol production methods involve harsh reaction conditions with high energy consumption, causing severe environmental pollution. In this study, we present a novel approach for the decarboxylation of hydroxybenzoic acids (HBAs) to phenol using a choline chloride-urea (ChCl-urea) deep eutectic solvent (DES). Our study reveals the remarkable dual performance of ChCl-urea both as a catalyst and solvent for the decarboxylation of HBA, resulting in a high phenol yield (94 mol %) under mild reaction conditions. The proposed reaction pathway, established through a combination of experiments and computational simulations, enhances our understanding of this process. The recyclability of the DES system during decarboxylation was also assessed. Our findings demonstrate that the integration of DES into conventional chemical processes can pave the way for sustainable manufacturing, exemplifying a novel approach for producing phenol from abundant natural resources using designer solvents.

Maximizing Degumming Efficiency for Firmiana simplex Bark Using Deep Eutectic Solvents.

Degumming is a critical process in the purification of natural fibers, essential for enhancing their quality and usability across various applications. Traditional degumming methods employed for natural fibers encounter inherent limitations, encompassing prolonged procedures, excessive energy consumption, adverse environmental impact, and subpar efficiency. To address these challenges, a groundbreaking wave of degumming technique has emerged, transcending these constraints and heralding a new era of efficiency, sustainability, and eco-friendly techniques. This study represents the Firmiana simplex bark (FSB) fiber's delignification by using deep eutectic solvents (DESs). The study explores the application of deep eutectic solvents, by synthesizing different types of DES using a hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA) and four representative hydrogen bond donors (HBDs) for FSB fiber degumming. This study investigates the morphologies, chemical compositions, crystallinities, and physical properties of Firmiana simplex bark fibers before and after the treatment. Furthermore, the effects and mechanisms of different DESs on dispersing FSB fibers were examined. The experimental results showed that choline chloride-urea (CU)-based DES initiates the degumming process by effectively disrupting the hydrogen bond interaction within FSB fibers, primarily by outcompeting chloride ions. Following this initial step, the DES acts by deprotonating phenolic hydroxyl groups and cleaving β-O-4 bonds present in diverse lignin units, thereby facilitating the efficient removal of lignin from the fibers. This innovative approach resulted in significantly higher degumming efficiency and ecofriendly as compared to traditional methods. Additionally, the results revealed that CU-based DES exhibits the utmost effectiveness in degumming FSB fibers. The optimal degumming conditions involve a precise processing temperature of 160 °C and a carefully controlled reaction time of 2 h yielding the most favorable outcomes. The present study presents a novel straightforward and environmentally friendly degumming method for Firmiana simplex bark, offering a substantial potential for enhancing the overall quality and usability of the resulting fibers. Our findings open new pathways for sustainable fiber-processing technologies.

The Antisolvent Precipitation of CuZnOx Mixed Oxide Materials Using a Choline Chloride-Urea Deep Eutectic Solvent.

Metal oxides have applications in a variety of different fields, and new synthesis methods are needed to control their properties and improve their performance as functional materials. In this study, we investigated a low-cost antisolvent precipitation method using a choline chloride-urea deep eutectic solvent to precipitate CuZnOx materials using water as the antisolvent. Using this methodology, the metal oxide materials can be precipitated directly from the deep eutectic solvent without the need for a high-temperature calcination step that can lead to a reduction in defects and surface area, which are important properties in applications such as catalysis.

Sustainable solutions of using deep eutectic solvents for hemp degumming: A combined experimental and DFT study

AbstractAiming at the problems of heavy environmental pollution, high energy consumption, and process complexity for current degumming techniques, three types of deep eutectic solvent (DES) systems as eco‐friendly sustainable solutions including choline chloride/urea (CU), ethylenediamine hydrochloride/ethylene glycol (EE) and choline chloride/imidazole (CI) were prepared and applied to the degumming of seed hemp. It was clearly showed that all three DES systems exhibit excellent degumming efficiency on seed hemp to remove noncellulosic components involving in pectin, hemicellulose, and lignin in amorphous region without damage to the structure and crystalline morphology of cellulose, leading to an increase of cellulose portion from 54% to about 80%. CI with the molar ratio of 3:8 at 175°C for 2.5 h give the best removal performance for hemicellulose and pectin while EE with molar ratio of 1:2 at 175°C for 3 h can remove lignin with highest efficiency. However, CU with the lowest cost reveals a balanced removal of three noncellulosic components, which may be the optimal choice for industrial production. Furthermore, density functional theory analysis disclosed the essential information of configuration stability for three DES systems.

Deep eutectic solvents recovery with bipolar membrane electrodialysis in biorefinery: An economic study

The complex composition and shortage of recycle technology restricted application of deep eutectic solvents (DES). Bipolar membrane electrodialysis has been proven efficient for DES recovery in biorefinery. A comprehensive economic study was essential prior to industrial recovery of DES with bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BMED). An economic study of the BMED-based recovery technique was performed by ascertaining influence of major factors on DES recovery charge with sensitivity analysis. Recovery charge of three representative types of DES was found to be changed within 0.83–1.66 $/Kg (choline chloride-ethylene glycol), 1.60–3.88 $/Kg (lactic acid-ethylene glycol), and 1.21–2.44 $/Kg (choline chloride-urea) as each factor altered in the control. Proportion of annual operating duration and loan duration displayed a negative correlation with the total recovery charge of DES. Multiple of membrane price, factor of membrane facility charge, factor of ancillary facility charge, factor of annual maintaining charge, annual reduction of recovery ratio, annual increase of recovery energy consumption, and annual interest rate of loan showed a positive relationship with the recovery charge. Total DES recovery charge increased within 6.0 %–6.4 % when heterogeneous ion-exchange membranes were employed in BMED facility instead of homogeneous ion-exchange membranes. This study verified the economic virtue of BMED-based DES recovery strategy in biorefinery.

Heat transfer simulation of reline flowing in an elliptic shaped duct: A deep eutectic solvent

Deep Eutectic solvents have emerged as promising alternatives to conventional solvents due to their unique properties and applications. The flow of deep eutectic solvents in various industrial processes has garnered significant attention due to their versatile applications in fields ranging from chemical engineering to energy storage. This study presents a comprehensive mathematical model aimed at elucidating the intricate behavior of eutectic solvent flow within an elliptic duct, a geometric configuration relevant to many real-world systems. In this article, the deep eutectic solvent is composed of choline chloride–urea and is also called Reline. The proposed mathematical model accounts for the complex interplay of fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, and elliptic duct geometry. Key components of the model include the Navier-Stokes equations, which describe the fluid flow, coupled with heat transfer equations to account for temperature variations within the system. The model also considers the phase change behavior of the eutectic solvent, which may exhibit solidification or crystallization phenomena under certain conditions. Numerical simulations and analytical solutions are employed to investigate various aspects of eutectic solvent flow within elliptic ducts, such as velocity profiles, pressure distributions, temperature gradients, and phase transition phenomena. The study explores the influence of key parameters, including the Reynolds number, the aspect ratio of the duct, and the thermophysical properties of the eutectic solvent, on the system’s behavior. From the results, it was clearly observed that the velocity at the narrow region decreased as the pressure raised and the Reynold’s number profile indicated the presence of turbulent flow behavior.

Synthesis of gold nanoparticles using plum waste extract with green solvents

The current study focuses on the synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using the plum peel extract obtained by deep eutectic solvent (DES) (Betaine-Urea and Choline chloride-Urea). Formation mechanism of DESs and molecular interactions between components has been studied using quantum chemical methods. DESs have been used for obtaining extracts from plum peel. It has been established that the reducing ability of extracts obtained using DESs is higher (489–580 mg ASE/g extract) than when using a traditional aqueous-alcohol solution (336 mg ASE/g extract). Gold nanoparticles were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, FTIR, and SEM-XRD analysis. The size of AuNPs was found to be 5–10 nm as per the particle size analyzer, and the zeta potential is − 46 to 47 mV. The scavenging ability of the sample solution to ABTS radical was determined by ABTS radical scavenging test. The AuNPs synthesized by extracting Cl-U exhibited significant antioxidant potential against ABTS•+, with an IC50 of 110 mg/mL. For the first time in a cosmetic product, AgNPs synthesized by plum peel extract in a deep eutectic solvent was used. The creams were evaluated for their organoleptic characteristics, physicochemical properties, and in vitro antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. Results show that the cream with 0.5% AuNp increases the value of moisturizer for the skin.

Deep eutectic solvents pretreatment enhances methane production from anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge: Effectiveness evaluation and mechanism elucidation

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a prevalent waste activated sludge (WAS) treatment, and optimizing methane production is a core focus of AD. Two DESs were developed in this study and significantly increased methane production, including choline chloride-urea (ChCl-Urea) 390% and chloride-ethylene glycol (ChCl-EG) 540%. Results showed that ChCl-Urea mainly disrupted extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) structures, aiding in initial sludge solubilization during pretreatment. ChCl-EG, instead, induced sludge self-driven organic solubilization and enhanced hydrolysis and acidification processes during AD process. Based on the extent to which the two DESs promoted AD for methane production, the AD process can be divided into stage Ⅰ and stage Ⅱ. In stage Ⅰ, ChCl-EG promoted methanogenesis more significantly, microbiological analysis showed both DESs enriched aceticlastic methanogens-Methanosarcina. Notably, ChCl-Urea particularly influenced polysaccharide-related metabolism, whereas ChCl-EG targeted protein-related metabolism. In stage Ⅱ, ChCl-Urea was more dominant than ChCl-EG, ChCl-Urea bolstered metabolism and ChCl-EG promoted genetic information processing in this stage. In essence, this study investigated the microbial mechanism of DES-enhanced sludge methanogenesis and provided a reference for future research.

Extraction and separation of astaxanthin with the help of pre-treatment of Haematococcus pluvialis microalgae biomass using aqueous two-phase systems based on deep eutectic solvents

The microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis are the main source of the natural antioxidant astaxanthin. However, the effective extraction of astaxanthin from these microalgae remains a significant challenge due to the rigid, non-hydrolyzable cell walls. Energy savings and high-efficiency cell disruption are essential steps in the recovery of the antioxidant astaxanthin from the cysts of H. pluvialis. In the present study, H. pluvialis microalgae were first cultured in Bold's Basal medium under certain conditions to reach the maximum biomass concentration, and then light shock was applied for astaxanthin accumulation. The cells were initially green and oval, with two flagella. As the induction time increases, the motile cells lose their flagellum and become red cysts with thick cell walls. Pre-treatment of aqueous two-phase systems based on deep eutectic solvents was used to decompose the cell wall. These systems included dipotassium hydrogen phosphate salt, water, and two types of deep eutectic solvents (choline chloride–urea and choline chloride–glucose). The results of pre-treatment of Haematococcus cells by the studied systems showed that intact, healthy cysts were significantly ruptured, disrupted, and facilitated the release of cytoplasmic components, thus facilitating the subsequent separation of astaxanthin by liquid–liquid extraction. The system containing the deep eutectic solvent of choline chloride–urea was the most effective system for cell wall degradation, which resulted in the highest ability to extract astaxanthin. More than 99% of astaxanthin was extracted from Haematococcus under mild conditions (35% deep eutectic solvent, 30% dipotassium hydrogen phosphate at 50 °C, pH = 7.5, followed by liquid–liquid extraction at 25 °C). The present study shows that the pre-treatment of two-phase systems based on deep eutectic solvent and, thus, liquid–liquid extraction is an efficient and environmentally friendly process to improve astaxanthin from the microalgae H. pluvialis.

Impregnation of nanoclay montmorillonite by choline chloride-urea for selective CO2, N2, and O2 adsorption: Experimental and modeling

In this study, we successfully utilized a green chemistry approach to prepare an adsorbent by functionalizing Montmorillonite with Choline Chlroride: Urea (a Deep Eutectic Solvent) to compare CO2, O2, and N2 adsorption. We conducted studies on the adsorption mechanism using a volumetric system at temperatures ranging from 25 to 55 °C under pressures of up to 9 bar. We assessed the effects of acid activation concentration, solvent concentration, and adsorbent mass on the CO2/O2 and CO2/N2 adsorption ratios (mg/mg). Characterization analyses confirmed that modification of interlayer spaces, ion exchange content, and Al/Si occurred through acid treatment and solvent impregnation. The CO2 adsorption mechanism demonstrated a heterogeneous multilayer and chemophysical sorption nature, which was in agreement with the Hill isotherm and Ellovich kinetic model. In contrast, the O2 and N2 mechanisms were in agreement with a monolayer nature, which matched the Langmuir isotherm and first-order kinetic model. We achieved the optimum adsorption ratio of CO2/O2 and CO2/N2 at 35 °C, while the highest individual adsorption for all three gases was obtained at 25 °C. At 35 °C, 5 bar, and 0.5 g, the highest uptake adsorption was 208.6 mg/g for CO2, 72.6 mg/g for O2, and 39.3 mg/g for N2. Thermodynamic parameters showed that the adsorption nature of CO2, O2, and N2 was exothermic (ΔH < 0) with values of −14.49 Kj/mol, −7.74 Kj/mol, and −4.09Kj/mol, respectively. The study's experimental and modeling results showed a corresponding interpretation, which was remarkable. The adsorbent exhibited desirable renewability at adsorption/desorption cycles with remarkable uptake capacity, making it a highly potential adsorbent for CO2 capture from flue gases. The selectivity of CO2 towards O2 and N2 was almost 2.1 and 3.9, respectively.

Effect of lignin in cellulose nanofibers on biodegradation and seed germination

AbstractPure cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) rapidly degrade in soil, limiting their prospective applications in agriculture. We incorporated lignin into CNFs as an antimicrobial and crosslinking agent to control the biodegradation rate. CNFs with different lignin concentrations were prepared by mechanochemical treatment in the presence of choline chloride-urea deep eutectic solvent. These were characterized using conductometric titration, scanning electron microscopy, and FT-IR. The fibers were applied to soil to determine the effect of lignin on soil respiration and nanocellulose degradation, and were used as a substrate for radish and cress seed germination. Modifying the lignin content of the fibers successfully modulated the biodegradation rate in soil. Fibers containing 35% lignin degraded 5.7% in 14 days, while fibers with 20% lignin degraded 20.8% in 14 days. Nanofiber suspensions showed low chemical inhibition for the germination of radish and cress seeds but higher lignin contents reduced the imbibition rate as a seed coating. This study presents the first use of lignin to control the biodegradation rate of cellulose nanofibers in a one-pot, scalable and sustainable system, allowing the advancement of lignocellulose nanofibers for applications such as seed coatings, mulches, and controlled release fertilizers. Graphical Abstract

Innovative deep eutectic solvent approaches in zinc electroplating for morphology enhancement, superior strength, and corrosion protection

The growing number of galvanized scrap due to the extensive application of galvanized products has led to a significant increase of the zinc content in the electric furnace dust, so how to realize high-value comprehensive utilization of zinc-containing dust has become a key issue for the sustainable development of the iron and steel industry. Based on the principle of recycling zinc resources, this study proposes an innovative full life cycle process for the preparation of electro-galvanized sheet using zinc-containing dust as raw material and deep eutectic solvents (DESs) as medium. Zinc plating was successfully prepared on duplex steel automobile plates using choline chloride-urea DES (Reline) as the electrolyte, and the modifying effects of different concentrations of nicotinic acid (NA) on the electrochemical system of the solution and the prepared plating were also investigated. The results show that the addition of 0.06 M NA to the system can modulate the deposition morphology of the plating layer, leading to the generation of ultrafine grains, and the surface densities and flatness are significantly improved. Besides, the addition of NA to the system increased the hardness value by 67.5 % and reduced the coefficient of friction by 38.8 % compared to the plating obtained in the system without additives; the corrosion rate decreased from 0.374 mm·a-1 to 0.023 mm·a-1, and the corrosion mechanism of the zinc layer was a direct dissolution process of zinc. This study realizes the morphology regulation of electroplated zinc plating, and greatly improves the aesthetics, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the plating at the same time, also the preparation process is in line with the requirements of the green development, which can provide a novel solution for the automotive high-quality plating.