Non-degradable Materials Research Articles

Degradable poly(β-amino ester) microparticles for cleansing products and food fortification

AbstractMicroplastic pollution is a pressing global crisis caused by the extensive use of nondegradable microplastic materials in daily activities. One effective approach to mitigate this issue is to replace nondegradable plastics with degradable materials that have properties amendable for targeted applications. Here we present the development of a degradable microparticle (MP) platform based on a poly(β-amino ester) (PAE) that degrades into sugar and amino acid derivatives. This PAE MP platform showed functional replacement of nondegradable microplastics used in cleansing products and food fortification. In cleansing products, PAE MPs effectively enhanced the cleansing efficiency of a representative rinse-off product and showed effective removal of potentially toxic elements, as an alternative of traditional nondegradable microbeads. In food fortification, PAE MPs provided robust protection for multiple essential vitamins and minerals against extensive cooking and storage conditions with rapid nutrient release in a simulated human digestion system. Collectively, these PAE MPs present a potential platform to replace microplastic usage on a global scale in many applications.

Profiling Pro-Inflammatory Proteases as Biomolecular Signatures of Material-Induced Subcutaneous Host Response in Immuno-Competent Mice.

Proteases are important modulators of inflammation, but they remain understudied in material-induced immune response, which is critical to clinical success of biomedical implants. Herein, molecular expression and proteolytic activity of three distinct proteases, namely neutrophil elastase, matrix metalloproteinases, cysteine cathepsins (cathepsin-K and cathepsin-B) are comprehensively profiled, in the subcutaneous host response of immuno-competent mice against different biomaterial implants. Quantitative non-invasive monitoring with activatable fluorescent probes reveals that different microparticulate materials induce distinct levels of protease activity with degradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid inducing the strongest signal compared to nondegradable materials such as polystyrene and silica oxide. Furthermore, protein expression of selected proteases, attributable to both their inactive and active forms, notably deviates from their activities associated only with their active forms. Protease activity exhibits positive correlations with protein expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6 but negative correlation with pro-fibrotic cytokine transforming growth factor β1. This study also demonstrates the predictive utility of protease activity as a non-invasive, pro-inflammatory parameter for evaluation of the anti-inflammatory effects of model bioactive compounds on material-induced host response. Overall, the findings provide new insights into protease presence in material-induced immune responses, facilitating future biomaterial assessment to evoke appropriate host responses for implant applications.

Evolution of natural polymer nerve conduit technology in peripheral nerve repair: a narrative review

Peripheral nerve injury is a worldwide challenge in the clinic. Although autologous nerve is considered the gold standard for bridging large nerve defects (> 5 mm), donor-site morbidity, limited sources of donor nerves and other potential side effects restrict its application in nerve regeneration. Nerve guidance conduits have become increasingly popular as a promising alternative to autologous nerve repair and regeneration. The evolution of nerve guidance conduits from nondegradable materials to various biodegradable materials subsequently results in enhanced properties, such as superior biodegradability, a mimetic extracellular matrix and an optimal structure. This review describes current therapies for nerve repair and the mechanism and evolution of nerve guidance conduits with advantages and limitations; proposes the detailed requirements of ideal nerve guidance conduits; and emphasizes the applications of natural polymers, including collagen, chitosan, alginate, gelatin, silk fibroin and hyaluronic acid, in nerve regeneration with the incorporation of various functional materials, chemical modifications and feasible techniques to promote cell proliferation and axon regeneration. Compared with natural polymers, advanced nerve guidance conduits have considerable potential for nerve regeneration in the clinic.

Development and analysis of silver-iron nitroprusside nanoparticles incorporated into starch-xanthan gum films for extending blueberry shelf life

Given the increasing health risks and environmental pollution caused by non-degradable petroleum-based packaging materials, developing environmentally friendly packaging materials is crucial. This study investigated the use of silver‑iron nitroprusside nanoparticles (Ag-FeNNPs) incorporated starch-xanthan gum (ST-XG) films for food coatings with antibacterial properties. Ag-FeNNPs were cubic, polydisperse with a uniform size of 126.06 ± 3.11 nm and a metallic composition of silver and iron. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses confirmed the crystalline properties and functional groups of ST, XG, and Ag-FeNNPs. The Ag-FeNNPs/ST-XG films exhibited excellent UV-blocking properties, with a transmittance of only 0.5 % at 400 nm. Ag-FeNNPs/ST-XG films exhibited significant inhibition on Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica, and Escherichia coli. Furthermore, the Ag-FeNNPs/ST-XG coating effectively reduced nutrient loss, bacterial contamination, and extended shelf life compared to ST-XG-coatings and uncoated blueberries, suggesting promising applications in food coating.

Carboxymethyl chitosan: Synthesis, functional properties, and applications in sustainable food packaging material.

Global environmental concerns about non-degradable packaging materials are increasing. Carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS), a polysaccharide widely used in the food industry, has gained attention in the field of food packaging. Due to its biodegradability, film-forming ability, and biocompatibility, CMCS has emerged as a sustainable option for degradable and functional food packaging materials, offering solutions to plastic pollution and food waste issues. This review explores CMCS as a food packaging and delivery material, detailing its synthesis methods, optimal preparation conditions, functional properties post-carboxymethylation, and applications in the food industry, alongside safety assessments. It summarizes the physicochemical interactions of CMCS-based composites and their impact on relevant properties, highlighting CMCS's potential as a green strategy for smart and active food packaging materials. Additionally, it presents the latest advancements in CMCS applications in the food industry over the past decade. CMCS exhibits good biocompatibility and antibacterial properties, and its functionality in food packaging films and delivery materials is enhanced through functional modification and polymerization. CMCS is widely used as a matrix for food preservation films or coatings and as a carrier for active ingredients, thereby improving the encapsulation efficiency and storage stability of functional food components. This review comprehensively outlines the applications of CMCS in the food industry, filling gaps in the existing literature, and laying a theoretical foundation for the development of CMCS technology. It provides a reference for further research, emphasizing the need to further investigate its molecular structure and chemical properties to optimize functionality and safety, thereby fully tapping into the potential of CMCS in the food industry.

Smart and Sustainable 3D-Printed Nanocellulose-Based Sensors for Food Freshness Monitoring.

Annually, about one-third of the food produced around the world is wasted due to spoilage. Food contamination and spoilage, along with the use and disposal of nondegradable packaging materials, impact human health and have huge economic and sustainability implications. Achieving sustainability within the food system requires innovative solutions to reduce the environmental footprint. Herein, we describe the formulation, scalable manufacturing, and characterization of three-dimensional (3D)-printed sensors prepared from a mixture of edible biopolymer hydrogels, 8% alginate, and 10% gelatin and nanocellulose (CNC) as a reinforcement filler. We demonstrate that incorporating CNC improves the overall mechanical performance of the printed film and enables the stabilization of pH-responsive dyes for monitoring the release of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), an indicator of food freshness. Mechanical performance enhancement includes increases of 43% in load-depth indentation, 28.2% in hardness, and 17.4% in elastic modulus. This enhancement facilitates its use as a smart label technology, enabling the visual assessment of spoilage when placed inside packaging over a period of 3 days at room temperature. The 3D-printed film exhibits excellent durability, flexibility, shape memory, and robustness, along with pH responsiveness, showing distinctive color changes over the pH range of 2 to 13. These performances are demonstrated in packaged meat and fish, enabling monitoring over several days and illustrating potential as a real-time freshness indicator. The material formulations developed in this work are biodegradable, eco-friendly, and inexpensive, making them suitable candidates for smart and sustainable food packaging.

Effect of kaolin ratio on wear, water absorption, acidic resistance, and mechanical properties of thermoset composites

Natural fiber reinforced composites are easy to decompose in nature compared to synthetic fiber reinforced composites. However, due to environmental effects, natural fibers cannot maintain their properties for a long time. This situation has led researchers to search for natural but non-degradable materials. Kaolin is one of the most abundant minerals in nature and is an easy material to obtain. This study investigated the use of kaolin as a potential natural additive for polymer composites. In this direction, different proportions by weight of kaolin were added to two different polymer matrices (polyester and polyvinylester) materials. Mechanical tests were performed on the samples, and a series of tests were carried out to understand the acid resistance, wear resistance and water absorption properties of the samples. Also, SEM images of the fracture surface, wear surface, and surface exposed to the acidic solutions were taken and examined. According to test results, kaolin improved compression strength while reducing tensile and flexural strength. However, serious improvements have been achieved by nearly 45% and 115% in the tensile modulus and nearly 84% and 218% in the flexural modulus of polyester and polyvinylester composites, respectively. Also, kaolin improved acid resistance and wear properties and reduced the water absorption rate of the composites.

An environmentally friendly and superhydrophobic melamine sponge self-roughened by in-situ controllably grown polydopamine nanoparticle for efficient oil-water separation

The preparation of conventional superhydrophobic sponges inevitably requires the involvement of noxious and non-degradable raw materials，thus threatening ecosystems. As reported herein, an environmentally friendly and superhydrophobic melamine sponge is facilely prepared for efficient oil-water separation, which is completely derived from eco-friendly substances. The formation of a hierarchical structure on the sponge skeleton was achieved via the in-situ controllable growth of polydopamine nanoparticles in mildly alkaline solution. In addition, octadecyl amines (ODA) with long chains of hydrophobic alkyl groups were grafted onto the polydopamine coating to reduce the surface energy through Schiff base or Michael addition reactions. Ultimately, the resulted sponge possessed extreme water repellency with a water contact angle (WCA) of 153.21 ± 1.31° and could retain its superhydrophobicity when it was exposed to solutions with different pH values and high temperature. Moreover, the resultant sponge exhibited fully reversible compressibility with up to 80 % strain and excellent structural stability after 200 cyclic compression tests. Meanwhile, distinct organic liquid absorption experiments were conducted to confirm the resulted sponge with excellent oil absorption capacity (73.46–119.66 g/g) and oil-water separation properties. Therefore, the as-prepared superhydrophobic sponge provides valuable insight into efficient oil-water separation.

Mechanochemically Promoted Functionalization of Postconsumer Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) and Poly(α-Methylstyrene) for Bulk Depolymerization.

We describe a methodology of post-polymerization functionalization to enable subsequent bulk depolymerization to monomer by utilizing mechanochemical macro-radical generation. By harnessing ultrasonic chain-scission in the presence of N-hydroxyphthalimide methacrylate (PhthMA), we successfully chain-end functionalize polymers to promote subsequent depolymerization in bulk, achieving up to 82 % depolymerization of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(α-methylstyrene) (PAMS) within 30 min. This method of depolymerization yields a high-purity monomer that can be repolymerized. Moreover, as compared to the most common methods of depolymerization, this work is most efficient with ultra-high molecular weight (UHMW) polymers, establishing a method with the potential to address highly persistent, non-degradable all-carbon backbone plastic materials. Lastly, we demonstrate the expansion of this depolymerization method to commercial cell cast PMMA, achieving high degrees of depolymerization from post-consumer waste. This work is the first demonstration of applying PhthMA-promoted depolymerization strategies in homopolymer PMMA and PAMS prepared by conventional polymerization methods.

Recent Advances in Natural-Polymer-Based Hydrogels for Body Movement and Biomedical Monitoring.

In recent years, the interest in medical monitoring for human health has been rapidly increasing due to widespread concern. Hydrogels are widely used in medical monitoring and other fields due to their excellent mechanical properties, electrical conductivity and adhesion. However, some of the non-degradable materials in hydrogels may cause some environmental damage and resource waste. Therefore, organic renewable natural polymers with excellent properties of biocompatibility, biodegradability, low cost and non-toxicity are expected to serve as an alternative to those non-degradable materials, and also provide a broad application prospect for the development of natural-polymer-based hydrogels as flexible electronic devices. This paper reviews the progress of research on many different types of natural-polymer-based hydrogels such as proteins and polysaccharides. The applications of natural-polymer-based hydrogels in body movement detection and biomedical monitoring are then discussed. Finally, the present challenges and future prospects of natural polymer-based hydrogels are summarized.

3D chitosan/hydroxyapatite scaffolds containing mesoporous SiO2-HA particles: A new step to healing bone defects

Biocompatible scaffolds with high mechanical strengths that contain biodegradable components could boost bone regeneration compared with nondegradable bone repair materials. In this study, porous chitosan (CS)/hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds containing mesoporous SiO2-HA particles were fabricated through the freeze-drying process. According to field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) results, combining mesoporous SiO2-HA particles in CS/HA scaffolds led to a uniform porous structure. It decreased pore sizes from 320 ± 1.1 μm to 145 ± 1.4 μm. Moreover, the compressive strength value of this scaffold was 25 ± 1.2 MPa. The in-vitro approaches exhibited good sarcoma osteogenic cell line (SAOS-2) adhesion, spreading, and proliferation, indicating that the scaffolds provided a suitable environment for cell cultivation. Also, in-vivo analyses in implanted defect sites of rats proved that the CS/HA/mesoporous SiO2-HA scaffolds could promote bone regeneration via enhancing osteoconduction and meliorating the expression of osteogenesis gene to 19.31 (about 5-fold higher compared to the control group) by exposing them to the bone-like precursors. Further, this scaffold's new bone formation percentage was equal to 90 % after 21 days post-surgery. Therefore, incorporating mesoporous SiO2-HA particles into CS/HA scaffolds can suggest a new future tissue engineering and regeneration strategy.

Chitosan Extracted from the Biomass of Tenebrio molitor Larvae as a Sustainable Packaging Film.

Waste from non-degradable packaging materials poses a serious environmental risk and has led to interest in developing sustainable bio-based packaging materials. Sustainable packaging materials have been made from diverse naturally derived materials such as bamboo, sugarcane, and corn starch. In this study, we made a sustainable packaging film using chitosan extracted from the biomass of yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) shell waste. The extracted chitosan was used to create films, cross-linked with citric acid (CA) and with the addition of glycerol to impart flexibility, using the solvent casting method. The successful cross-linking was evaluated using Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis. The CA cross-linked mealworm chitosan (CAMC) films exhibited improved water resistance with moisture content reduced from 19.9 to 14.5%. Improved barrier properties were also noted, with a 28.7% and 10.2% decrease in vapor permeability and vapor transmission rate, respectively. Bananas were selected for food preservation, and significant changes were observed over a duration of 10 days. Compared to the control sample, bananas packaged in CAMC pouches exhibited a lesser loss in weight because of excellent barrier properties against water vapor. Moreover, the quality and texture of bananas packaged in CAMC pouch remained intact over the duration of the experiment. This indicates that adding citric acid and glycerol to the chitosan structure holds promise for effective food wrapping and contributes to the enhancement of banana shelf life. Through this study, we concluded that chitosan film derived from mealworm biomass has potential as a valuable resource for sustainable packaging solutions, promoting the adoption of environmentally friendly practices in the food industry.

Prototypical contrastive learning based oriented detector for kitchen waste

Automatic detection of kitchen waste enables the identification and quantification of non-degradable materials, such as plastics, metals, and other substances that cannot be easily decomposed. This approach increases the efficiency of the waste disposal process with significant time and cost savings compared to manual sorting. However, detecting non-degradable waste automatically presents a great challenge due to the deformability and directional uncertainty of the objects in kitchen waste images. Object deformation leads to a lack of structural features, making it more difficult to distinguish objects. Direction uncertainty leads to redundant backgrounds when detecting with the horizontal box detector. To address these issues, we propose a kitchen waste detector (KWDet) for the automatic detection of non-degradable waste in kitchen waste. First, the KWDet introduces the oriented bounding box representation and rotated region of interest (RRoI) learner, which enables the oriented detection of non-degradable waste in kitchen waste. Second, the KWDet constructs a prototypical contrastive learning (PCL) based detection head to improve the classification performance by learning discriminative features of different non-degradable waste in kitchen waste. In the PCL based detection head, the prototype-sample contrastive loss is proposed to pull samples and prototypes from the same classes together while pushing samples and prototypes from the different classes apart. After that, we design the inter-prototype contrastive loss to learn the discriminative prototypes of different non-degradable waste. Finally, to evaluate the proposed KWDet, we construct a large kitchen waste detection dataset (KWDD), containing 13,873 kitchen waste images and 213,565 instances collected from Zhengzhou China with 5 classes. To validate the effectiveness of our proposed method, we performed ablation experiments and comparison experiments on the KWDD dataset. The experiments demonstrate that KWDet achieves a state-of-the-art (SOTA) mAP50 of 71.5%, surpassing other object detection methods by more than 1.6% mAP50. Furthermore, our approach’s Macro-F1 score outperforms the SOTA method by 4.0%. Extensive experiments on the KWDD demonstrate that the prototypical contrastive learning-based oriented detector is able to extract more robust features and better characterize the target location, suggesting that the KWDet is a powerful support for intelligent kitchen waste sorting.

Intraocular pressure control efficacy and safety of HA-Mg glaucoma drainage plate implantation in the anterior chamber of rabbit eyes

The current clinical application of glaucoma drainage devices is made of non-degradable materials. These non-degradable drainage devices often trigger inflammatory responses and scar proliferation, possibly leading to surgical failure. We developed a biodegradable material hydroxyapatite-coated magnesium (HA-Mg) as a glaucoma drainage device. Twelve New Zealand white rabbits were randomly assigned to three groups: HA-Mg drainage plate group (6 right eyes), trabeculectomy group (6 right eyes), and control group (12 left eyes). Results showed that all HA-Mg drainage plates were completely degraded ~4 months postoperatively. At the 5th month postoperatively, there was no statistical difference in the corneal endothelium density between the HA-Mg drainage plate group and the control group (p = 0.857). The intraocular pressure (IOP) level in the HA-Mg drainage plate implantation group was lower than in the other two groups. The trypan blue dye still drained from the anterior chamber to the subconjunctiva 5 months after HA-Mg drainage plate implantation. HE staining revealed the scleral linear aqueous humor drainage channel and anterior synechia were observed after drainage plate completely degraded, with no obvious infiltration with the inflammatory cells. This study showed the safety and efficacy of HA-Mg glaucoma drainage plate in controlling IOP after implantation into the anterior chamber of rabbit eyes.Graphical abstractWe developed a biodegradable material hydroxyapatite-coated magnesium (HA-Mg) as a glaucoma drainage device. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of HA-Mg glaucoma drainage plate in controlling intraocular pressure after implantation into the anterior chamber of rabbit eyes.

Using Data Science Tools to Reveal and Understand Subtle Relationships of Inhibitor Structure in Frontal Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization.

The rate of frontal ring-opening metathesis polymerization (FROMP) using the Grubbs generation II catalyst is impacted by both the concentration and choice of monomers and inhibitors, usually organophosphorus derivatives. Herein we report a data-science-driven workflow to evaluate how these factors impact both the rate of FROMP and how long the formulation of the mixture is stable (pot life). Using this workflow, we built a classification model using a single-node decision tree to determine how a simple phosphine structural descriptor (Vbur-near) can bin long versus short pot life. Additionally, we applied a nonlinear kernel ridge regression model to predict how the inhibitor and selection/concentration of comonomers impact the FROMP rate. The analysis provides selection criteria for material network structures that span from highly cross-linked thermosets to non-cross-linked thermoplastics as well as degradable and nondegradable materials.

EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF GREEN CONCRETE USING BOVINE FAECES ASH AND NON-DEGRADABLE PLASTIC WASTE MATERIALS

Concrete is widely used in all kind of construction purpose and it is composed of cement, fine and coarse aggregates. To make the eco-friendly and economical construction, this research partially replace cement with cow dung ash to prepare the concrete. Non-biodegradable plastic trash is thus added to the concrete as an admixture in order to increase the tensile and compressive strength. Super plasticizers are also added to the concrete to increase its strength. In this study, the cement was partly substituted with cow dung ash in the proportions of 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% while non-degradable plastic waste materials was used as an admixture in the proportions of 1%, 1.5%, and 2% to create green concrete. To evaluate the performance and strength of the manufactured concrete samples (cube and cylinder), they are subjected to split tensile, flexural, and compressive strength tests after curing for 7, 14, and 28 days, respectively. For all the M20 grade of concrete mixes, addition of 15% of cow dung ash as a replacement of cement and 1.5% of non-degradable plastic waste material gives the maximum compression and tensile strength when comparing the control mix concrete. Hence this proves that partial replacement of cement with cow dung ash and addition of non-degradable plastic waste material as a admixture gives better results than normal M20 grade concrete which has better strength and eco-friendly in nature.

Degradable, biocompatible, and flexible capacitive pressure sensor for intelligent gait recognition and rehabilitation training

Gait recognition and rehabilitation training based on pressure sensing technology have an important role in the field of rehabilitation medicine. However, existing pressure sensors that are used in this process are often fabricated from non-degradable or non-biocompatible source materials, which limits their application in long-term sustainable use. In this study, we propose a high-performance, degradable, biocompatible and flexible capacitive pressure sensor. Its dielectric layer is prepared using a polyvinyl alcohol/sodium alginate (PVA/SA) electrospun nanofiber membrane (ENM), while its upper and lower electrodes are fabricated from PVA@graphene screen-printed ENMs. Experimental results demonstrate the sensor's exceptional pressure sensing performance, characterized by its high sensitivity (0.54 kPa−1 at 0–10 kPa), low detection limit (∼2.2 Pa), rapid response time (26.6/29.9 ms), and excellent stability (5000 cycles). Furthermore, it exhibits outstanding biocompatibility, achieving a cell viability assay survival rate exceeding 97%, and remarkable degradability, completely degrading within one hour. A gait recognition and rehabilitation training system has been developed by integrating the sensors with a deep learning algorithm and wireless transmission technology. The system can effectively monitor and record dynamic parameters of lower limb swing during walking, exhibiting an impressive gait recognition accuracy of 98% over five normal and abnormal gaits. Moreover, it can guide patients in performing diverse rehabilitation actions as well as monitor their progress through action count recording. This innovative solution offers a sustainable approach to gait recognition and rehabilitation training within the field of rehabilitation medicine, thereby opening up new avenues for patient recovery.

The Development of a Fully Renewable Lubricant: The Effect of Ethyl Cellulose on the Properties of a Polyhydroxyalkanoate (P34HB)-Based Grease

In the context of the ongoing evolution of the global economy and increasing environmental awareness, green sustainable development has emerged as a crucial pathway for future advancements in the lubrication industry. In this study, we prepared bio-based greases by employing a thickener system consisting of polyhydroxyalkanoate (P34HB) and ethyl cellulose, with castor oil serving as a base oil. The results indicate that ethyl cellulose significantly and effectively enhances the grease system’s mechanical and colloidal stability. Notably, the addition of 5 wt% ethyl cellulose leads to superior mechanical and colloidal stability, while increasing concentrations gradually result in rheological properties similar to those of oleogels. Furthermore, the wear volume of grease containing 5 wt% ethyl cellulose was reduced by 39.20% compared to that of a reference P34HB grease, demonstrating its exceptional wear resistance. The present study provides a theoretical foundation and empirical evidence for the future development of biodegradable greases as substitutes for non-degradable materials, thereby expanding the range of environmentally friendly greases formulated with biomass-based thickeners.

Engineering a compostable isolation gown to reduce hospital-derived synthetic waste accumulation in landfill

The ever-increasing accumulation of synthetic waste in landfill is a growing pollution and public health concern. In 2018, hospitals in the United States landfilled 1.5 million tons of personal protective equipment (PPE). Single-use, disposable PPE gowns constitute the greatest percentage of landfilled PPE by weight and are overwhelmingly made from non-degradable synthetic materials. The most common and disposed of type of PPE gown are isolation gowns, which are used by healthcare workers attending patients under isolation precautions. One study has shown that under isolation procedures, healthcare systems will on average dispose of 33 gowns per patient per day as municipal waste, contributing a substantial amount of solid waste to landfills. Therefore, to alleviate the strain on landfills, a need exists for isolation gowns that do not contribute to the accumulation of synthetic waste. The approach taken in the present work to address this need was through the creation of a degradable textile from which to make isolation gowns. The prototype textile is a paper-based substrate with an ASTM D6400 certified compostable functional coating to grant the barrier properties necessary to prevent liquid penetration. The compostable, lightweight, coated paper product was tested in accordance with the ASTM F3352 Standard Specification for Isolation Gowns Intended for Use in Healthcare Facilities. The prototype exceeded the AATCC 42 and 127, and ASTM D5034, D5733, and D1683 standardized test requirements to be classified as a high-protection Level 3 isolation gown. As such, the prototype textile has been identified as a suitable material from which to create compostable isolation gowns.

Stereo-complex polylactide composite aerogel for crude oil adsorption

Adsorption materials are a cost-effective and simple method for oil spill remediation, but their efficiency is limited by high crude oil viscosity. Additionally, non-degradable materials pose another risk of secondary pollution, such as microplastic debris. Here, an environmentally-friendly stereo-complex polylactide composite (SCC) aerogel were developed via water-assisted thermally induced phase separation. The SCC with 3 wt% carbon nanotubes had a hierarchical structure of micro/nanoscale pores and high content of stereo-complex crystallites (35.7 %). Along with the excellent water repellency (water contact angle: 157°), SCC aerogel was 2.7 times as resistant to hydrolysis than poly(l-lactide) aerogel (Ph = 13, 37 °C). Additionally, a maximum absorption capacity of 41.2 g g−1 and over 97 % oil/water separation efficiency after 10 cycles were obtained in low viscosity conditions; while in high viscosity conditions, it displayed excellent photothermal performance, reaching a surface temperature of 85 °C under 1 sunlight, reducing crude oil absorption time from 42 min to 60 s (97.6 %-time savings). Moreover, it facilitated continuous crude oil spill recovery under sunlight with an adsorption rate of 3.3 × 104 kg m−3 h−1. The SCC aerogel presents a potential route for utilizing solar energy in crude oil adsorption applications without additional environmental burden.