Physicochemical Research Articles

A Comprehensive Review of Deep Learning: Architectures, Recent Advances, and Applications

Deep learning (DL) has become a core component of modern artificial intelligence (AI), driving significant advancements across diverse fields by facilitating the analysis of complex systems, from protein folding in biology to molecular discovery in chemistry and particle interactions in physics. However, the field of deep learning is constantly evolving, with recent innovations in both architectures and applications. Therefore, this paper provides a comprehensive review of recent DL advances, covering the evolution and applications of foundational models like convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs), as well as recent architectures such as transformers, generative adversarial networks (GANs), capsule networks, and graph neural networks (GNNs). Additionally, the paper discusses novel training techniques, including self-supervised learning, federated learning, and deep reinforcement learning, which further enhance the capabilities of deep learning models. By synthesizing recent developments and identifying current challenges, this paper provides insights into the state of the art and future directions of DL research, offering valuable guidance for both researchers and industry experts.

Control of the Microbial Block of the Biogeochemical Cycle of Organochlorine Pesticides in Agroecosystems. Message 1. Microbial Transformation of Pesticides

The processes of mineralization of xenobiotic organic compounds and their inclusion in the biogeochemical cycle, which is carried out due to their biochemical (microbiological) transformations, are considered. The state of pesticides in the soil and their degradation potential are assessed. The features of microbiological transformation and degradation of pesticides in soils, natural waters and bottom sediments are shown. The physicochemical and biological properties of agroecosystems affecting the transformation of organochlorine pesticides are characterized. A historical digression into the problem of microbial transformation of pesticides is given and the current state of knowledge of this problem is presented.

Evaluation of Physicochemical and Biological Properties of Chitosan Hydrolysate Produced by Microwave-Assisted Cellulase Hydrolysis

AbstractThis work estimated the biochemical nature of the enzymatic chitosan hydrolysate (CH) as oligomeric chitooligosaccharide products resulting from microwave-aided cellulase hydrolysis of chitosan from shrimp and crab as well as their biological effects and potential preservative application. The microwave irradiation was conducted at 125 W for 15 min simultaneously during the cellulase degradation of shrimp and crab chitosan, previously prepared by a 30-min microwave-aided deacetylation (86.7% and 82.7% degree of deacetylation), producing shrimp chitosan hydrolysate (SCH) and crab chitosan hydrolysate (CCH), respectively. The products SCH and CCH were tested for their solubility in distilled water, viscosity, molecular weight (Mw), FTIR, mass spectra, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities. The obtained SCH and CCH were incorporated into two food systems (yogurt and orange juice) at proportions of 0.08–0.12 g/100 mL as potential preservatives. The average Mw of SCH and CCH was 14.79 and 13.18 kDa, respectively, coupled in each case with 1–6° of polymerization (DP), strong antibacterial and antioxidant activities, and the capacity to dissolve in water in all proportions, becoming more soluble as weight decreased. The chemical, microbiological, and sensory changes in orange juice and yogurt were investigated at 0, 15, and 30 days of cold storage after being enriched with these ingredients. Over the 30-day storage period, the orange juice and yogurt showed enhanced physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory characteristics based on the content of chitosan hydrolysate. The study provided potentially a new and safe preservation technology for food systems.

Utilizing waste engine oil and Sasobit to improve the rheological and physiochemical properties of RAP

This study objective to assess the effects of Waste Engine Oil (WEO) and Sasobit on improving the rheological and physicochemical properties of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP), both of which are considered waste materials. Seven asphalt mixes were prepared with varying percentages of these materials. The study included rheological testing, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis, cost–benefit analysis, and final stage to select blend selection. Highway agencies typically limit RAP usage to 20% due to concerns such as fatigue and low-temperature cracking. To address these issues and increase the RAP content, rejuvenators are often required to soften the aged binder. This study investigated the use of WEO and Sasobit as rejuvenators, with WEO added at dosages of 4% and 8%, and Sasobit at 1%, 2%, and 3%. The penetration and viscosity methods were employed to determine the optimal amounts of WEO and Sasobit. The selected mixtures were tested for rutting resistance, fatigue performance, and low-temperature cracking susceptibility. FTIR was used to further analyze the blends, along with a cost analysis. The results indicated that 4% WEO was effective in rejuvenating 25% of the reclaimed binder, offering a cost-effective solution. While Sasobit did not function as a rejuvenator, it proved beneficial as a viscosity reducer.

Unearthing the Impact of Diverse Nutrient Sources on Soil Quality in Transplanted Rice in Eastern U.P., India

A field experiment was conducted at Agronomy Research Farm, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya (U.P.) during Kharif season 2022 to assess the effect of different nutrient sources on physico-chemical properties of randomized block design and replicated three times with seven treatment combinations in rice crop. The treatment combinations were T1:-Control, T2:-100% RDF, T3:-75% RDF + 25% N through Vermicompost+ Jeevamrit application at 30 DAT (Days after transplanting),T4:-75% RDF+25%N through FYM+ Jeevamrit application at 30 DAT, T5:- 50% RDF+50% N through Vermicompost + Jeevamrit application at 45 DAT, T6:-50% RDF+50%N through FYM + Jeevamrit application at 45 DAT and T7:-50% RDF+25% N through Vermicompost +25% N through FYM + Jeevamrit application 30 and 45 DAT. Rice variety NDR- 2065 was taken as test crop. After harvesting soil was tested for physico- chemical parameters, according to which T5 showed maximum available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, in a similar way T5 also showed improved E.C., pH, organic carbon as well as bulk density and particle density.

Effects of a Vegetable Eel Co-Culture System on the Soil Ammonia-Oxidizing Microbial Community

(1) Background: A vegetable eel co-culture system is an economically efficient way of agricultural cultivation, which can have an impact on the soil microbial environment and play a pivotal role in the soil nutrient cycle, but there is little research on its impact on soil ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms. (2) Methods: NovaSeq platform sequencing was employed to investigate the richness, structure, and diversity of soil ammonia-oxidizing microbial communities, exploring the effects of a vegetable eel co-culture system on soil nitrogen cycling. Four different planting treatments were set up: unfertilized without vegetable eel (CCK), fertilized without vegetable eel (CRT), unfertilized with vegetable eel (ICK), and fertilized with vegetable eel (IRT). (3) Results: A vegetable eel co-culture system significantly increased soil pH and decreased bulk density under fertilization conditions. The soil nitrification potential rate was enhanced by a vegetable eel co-culture system to an average of 26.3%. A vegetable eel co-culture system significantly altered the community structure of all ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms, with a significant increase in the richness and diversity of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and comammox clade-A, while fertilization significantly increased the diversity of all ammonia-oxidizing microbial communities. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis showed that the main environmental factors affecting the structure of the ammonia-oxidizing microbial community were nitrate and total nitrogen. The number of amoA genes in AOB and comammox clade-B was significantly positively correlated with the soil potential N nitrification rate (PNR), which played a leading role in the nitrification of alkaline vegetable soil. The network analysis revealed that a vegetable eel co-culture system improved the modularity of AOB and comammox clade-B by 13.14% and 5.66%. (4) Conclusions: This study showed that the vegetable eel co-culture system stimulated the evolution of ammonia-oxidizing microbial communities by changing the physicochemical properties, which in turn promoted the soil nitrification reaction.

Molecular Characterization of Organosulfur and Organonitrogen Compounds in Summer and Winter PM2.5 via UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap MS/MS.

Organosulfur and organonitrogen compounds (OrgSs and OrgNs) notably influence haze formation, reflecting the intricacies of sulfur and nitrogen chemistry in the atmospheric process. Despite this, a comprehensive understanding of OrgSs and OrgNs remains elusive. Here, we conducted molecular analyses of OrgSs and OrgNs in PM2.5 concurrently during three haze episodes in winter and summer from 2016 to 2019. OrgSs and OrgNs collectively constituted 68.8-73.8% of identified organics, with CHON (35.8%) being the most prevalent followed by CHONS (13.6%), CHN (11.5%), CHOS (5.6%), CHNS (3.2%), and CHS (0.9%). Nitrogen within CHX (CH + CHN + CHS + CHNS) compounds were predominantly present as nitriles or amines, while sulfur existed as alkaline thioethers (ESI+) or acidic mercaptans and thiophenols (ESI-). Oxygen-containing OrgSs and OrgNs exhibited greater structural complexity. Specifically, most CHON were associated with nitric esters and nitro-compounds (ESI-), or basic amino acids (ESI+). CHONS primarily comprised nitrogen heterocyclic substances containing oxygen and sulfur, with some potentially containing organic sulfates (OSs) and organic nitrates if O ≥ 4S + 3N. CHOS with (O-3S)/C ≥ 0 were identified as sulfonic acids or sulfate esters. This comprehensive spectrum of OrgSs and OrgNs enhances the understanding of the physicochemical properties of aerosols, providing insights for future laboratory and air quality model studies.

Gas check prevention during calendering of poly(vinyl chloride) films using poly(caprolactone)‐based additives

AbstractGas checks on poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) calendered films are a common but not well understood surface quality defect that causes delays and resource wastage during the manufacturing of plastic sheets and films. Three modified poly(caprolactone) (PCL)‐based additives of differing molecular weights were used as a secondary plasticizer in PVC with the goal of preventing the formation of gas checks without modifying the calendering process conditions. To better understand gas check prevention processes, the effects of the PCL‐based additives on the thermal, mechanical, rheological, and chemical properties of PVC blends were assessed. A high molecular weight (2000 g/mol) PCL‐based additive was unable to prevent gas checks in PVC blends, unlike the lower molecular weight (540 g/mol and 900 g/mol) additives. Chemical and physicochemical properties affect the prevention or reduction of gas checks showing that the acid values and molecular weights of the PCL‐based additives are related to the number of gas checks. In contrast, physical properties, including rheological ones like complex viscosity or the storage and loss moduli that were previously hypothesized to be important factors in preventing gas check formation, were not significantly impacted by the addition of the secondary plasticizer. Furthermore, the acid value was observed to be related to the reduction in gas checks, likely due to the interaction of the dispersed functional acid groups with the entrapped air. Consequently, the effectiveness of the additive in eliminating gas checks declines as the acid value decreases.Highlights Low concentrations of PCL‐based additives prevent gas checks on PVC films. They do not significantly affect the physical/mechanical properties of films. Higher molecular weight additives are beneficial, but only below 2000 g/mol. The effectiveness of PCL‐based additives increases with acid value.

Facilitating Oriented Electron Transfer from Cu to Mo2C MXene for Weakened Mo─H Bond Toward Enhanced Photocatalytic H2 Generation.

Mo2C MXene (Mo2CTx) is recognized as an excellent cocatalyst due to unique physicochemical properties and platinum-like d-band of Mo active sites. However, Mo sites of Mo2CTx with high-density empty d-orbitals exhibit strong Mo─Hads bonds during photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, leading to easy adsorption of hydrogen ions from solution and unfavorable desorption of H2 from Mo sites. To weaken the Mo─Hads bond, a strategy of oriented electron transfer from Cu to Mo2CTx to increase the antibonding orbital occupancy of Mo─Hads hybrid orbitals is implemented by introducing Cu into Mo2CTx interlayers to form Cu-Mo2CTx. The Cu-Mo2CTx is synthesized from Mo2Ga2C and CuCl2 via a one-step molten salt method and combined with TiO2 to form Cu-Mo2CTx/TiO2 photocatalyst through an ultrasound-assisted approach. Hydrogen production tests reveal that an exceptional performance of Cu-Mo2CTx/TiO2 (6446µmol h-1 g-1, AQE=18.3%) is 8.4 fold higher than that of Mo2CF2/TiO2 (Mo2CF2 by the conventional etchant NH4F+HCl). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and characterization results corroborate that the oriented electron transfer from Cu to Mo2CTx increases the Mo─Hads antibonding occupancy in Cu-Mo2CTx, thereby weakening Mo─Hads bonds and accelerating the hydrogen evolution rate of TiO2. This research offers valuable insights into optimizing H-adsorption capabilities at active sites on MXene materials.

Detecting and repairing micro defects in perfluorinated ion exchange membranes for redox flow batteries

Ion exchange membranes play a vital role in redox flow batteries. However, polymer membranes with a microscopic thickness of approximately 20–50 μm are susceptible to micro defects, which substantially reduces the battery's energy efficiency and cycling stability. Hence, there is a need for an effective strategy to identify and resolve membrane imperfections, which is currently missing in the literature. In this work, a pressure-retention setup and hot-pressing method are proposed and show that defective membranes can be effectively identified and resolved. For instance, a membrane with around 100-μm pinholes exhibits a low coulombic efficiency of 77.5 % at the current density of 100 mA cm−2. However, the coulombic efficiency can be raised to 96.3 % by removing the defects, thus attaining the level of the undamaged pristine membrane (96.4 %). The capacity retention rate of the vanadium redox flow batteries with the repaired membrane is 71.1 % over 100 cycles at the current density of 200 mA cm−2, close to that of the pristine membrane (72.2 %). In addition, the repaired membrane exhibits quite similar physicochemical properties to the pristine membrane from various characterizations. The proposed method represents a convenient, economical, and non-destructive membrane detecting and repairing strategy, demonstrating great potential for redox flow batteries.

Suitability of Dimensional, Physical and Physicochemical Properties of Selected Eight Improved Rice (oryza sativa l.) Varieties for Extrusion Cooking

Suitability of Dimensional, Physical and Physicochemical Properties of Selected Eight Improved Rice (oryza sativa l.) Varieties for Extrusion Cooking

Plant-mediated gold nanoparticles in cancer therapy: exploring anti-cancer mechanisms, drug delivery applications, and future prospects

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) exhibit great promise in cancer therapy and drug delivery due to their unique physicochemical properties. The utilization of plant extracts and phytochemicals for the synthesis of AuNPs offers a simple, rapid, eco-friendly, and cost-effective alternative. This review provides an in-depth analysis of the role of plant-mediated AuNPs in cancer treatment, focusing on their core mechanisms, drug delivery applications, and future potential. It emphasizes the advantages of green synthesis methods for cancer therapy, detailing the processes involved and highlighting various plants used for nanoparticle biosynthesis. The review also explores the anti-cancer effects of plant-mediated AuNPs, such as their ability to selectively target cancer cells and induce apoptosis, supported by both in vitro and in vivo studies. Additionally, the application of these nanoparticles in targeted drug delivery for cancer therapy is examined. The review addresses biocompatibility and toxicity concerns, providing insights into the safety of these nanoparticles. Future research directions and challenges are discussed to overcome current limitations and maximize their clinical applicability. In summary, plant-mediated AuNPs offer a sustainable and effective approach for cancer therapy and drug delivery, with their green synthesis and diverse anti-cancer properties highlighting their potential. Further research is essential to fully realize their clinical benefits.

Deciphering physical and functional properties of chitosan-based particles for agriculture applications

Traditional methods for controlling plant pathogens rely on toxic chemicals, posing environmental and health risks. Developing sustainable, eco-friendly alternatives is crucial. Chitosan (CS)-based materials offer promising solutions for sustainable agriculture. We aimed to synthesize and characterize CS-based microparticles with varying properties and assess their antimicrobial performance to establish correlations between variations in physicochemical characteristics and their impact on performance within biological systems. We adjusted the synthesis parameters, producing particles labeled P1, P2, and P3, which have sizes of 0.19 ± 0.07 μm, 0.45 ± 0.32 μm, and 1.22 ± 0.32 μm, and zeta potentials of +7.6 ± 4.25 mV, +22 ± 3.51 mV, and + 12.9 ± 4.54 mV, respectively. Extensive toxicological screenings showed that these CS-based microparticles were non-toxic across cell cultures, mouse red blood cells, soil microbiota, nitrogen-cycling bacteria, and plant toxicity assays. Encouraged by these results, we evaluated their antimicrobial potential against economically important crop pathogens. The CS-based microparticles exhibited antimicrobial effects against the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 and the fungus Fusarium solani f. sp. eumartii. Higher zeta potentials correlated with greater antimicrobial efficacy, evidenced by lower IC50 and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values. These findings indicate that all three microparticles analyzed displayed antimicrobial activity against two economically significant crop pathogens, with P2 showing solid performance attributed to its physicochemical characteristics. Therefore, CS-based microparticles represent a promising, nontoxic, and environmentally friendly alternative for modern agriculture, with their biological activities potentially predictable through careful selection of physicochemical properties before the synthesis process.

Physico-Chemical Properties of Bio-Oils as Cutting Fluids: A Comparative Investigation

Physico-Chemical Properties of Bio-Oils as Cutting Fluids: A Comparative Investigation

Agromeliorative Methods of Preserving Fertility of Chernozem Soils of Fruit Plantations under Conditions of Irrigation with Mineralized Water

The effectiveness of agro-reclamation techniques for preserving the fertility of chernozem soils of fruit plantations under conditions of irrigation with mineralized waters in the conditions of the steppe zone of fruit growing in the Krasnodar Territory in irrigated intensive plantations of apple varieties of winter ripening on a low-growing rootstock M9 was studied. The effect of the use of chemical meliorants (phosphogypsum), soil mulching, application of water-soluble organo-mineral fertilizers through a drip irrigation system and a combination of these agricultural techniques on the basic agrochemical and physico-chemical properties of ordinary chernozem was studied. In fruit plantations, with drip irrigation with mineralized waters, the use of a complex of agro-reclamation techniques contributed to the normalization of the reaction of the soil environment, a decrease in the accumulation of water-soluble sodium salts in the root layer of ordinary chernozem by 39.7%, a decrease in the content of exchangeable sodium in the zone of local soil moisture by 33–34%, an increase in the content of mobile phosphorus in the soil under droppers by 18.9% compared with traditional zonal cultivation technology.

γ-irradiation of wheat flour dough: The influence of starch hierarchical structure and physicochemical properties

Irradiation has been shown to cause a change in physicochemical properties and starch depolymerization of wheat flour. However, the impact of starch hierarchical structure and physicochemical properties on dough's viscoelastic behavior during irradiation treatment remains unexplored. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of γ-irradiation (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 kGy) on the viscoelastic properties of dough and the hierarchical structure and physicochemical characteristics of starches isolated from irradiated dough. Irradiation weakened the gluten network structure and decreased the starch-gluten interaction. Moreover, irradiation reduced the dough's elasticity, viscosity, deformation-resistant capacity, hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, and resilience. Irradiation treatment disrupted the short-range ordered structure, reduced the crystalline lamellae thickness and crystallinity, and dissociated the double helix structure of starch, thus increasing solubility and decreasing peak, trough, and final viscosities. Correlation analysis revealed that the lamellar structure, crystalline structure, short-range ordered structure, and pasting viscosities of starch were the key factors affecting the dough's viscoelastic properties during irradiation treatment.

Development of petroleum-derived polymeric additive to enhance the bituminous properties with the use of a machine-learning model

Study revealed the synthesis of petroleum-derived polymeric additive PS-co-PAO. The synthesis of the additives was confirmed by FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy. The synthesized polymeric additives was blended with VG 10 base bitumen to modifiy its physicochemical and rheological properties. Six modified bitumens SOMB1,SOMB2, SOMB3, SOMB4, SOMB5, and SOMB6 were prepared using different concentrations of polymeric additives at 150°C and 170°C. These modified bitumens were further analyzed for the physicochemical and rheological properties which revealed that the SOMB-6 modified bitumen was found most suitable. Additionally, a Random Forest regression model was developed to predict the rutting resistance based on the percentage of polymeric additive and temperature. The model demonstrated a high R-squared value of 0.986, indicating that it can effectively predict rutting resistance, enhancing the design and testing of polymer-modified bitumen. A study on multifunctional additives also revealed that the prepared modified bitumens marginally meet the properties of higher-grade VG and modified bitumen as per IS and IRC specifications.

Effect of Lipid Nanoparticle Physico-Chemical Properties and Composition on Their Interaction with the Immune System

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have shown promise as a delivery system for nucleic acid-based therapeutics, including DNA, siRNA, and mRNA vaccines. The immune system plays a critical role in the response to these nanocarriers, with innate immune cells initiating an early response and adaptive immune cells mediating a more specific reaction, sometimes leading to potential adverse effects. Recent studies have shown that the innate immune response to LNPs is mediated by Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and other pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which recognize the lipid components of the nanoparticles. This recognition can trigger the activation of inflammatory pathways and the production of cytokines and chemokines, leading to potential adverse effects such as fever, inflammation, and pain at the injection site. On the other hand, the adaptive immune response to LNPs appears to be primarily directed against the protein encoded by the mRNA cargo, with little evidence of an ongoing adaptive immune response to the components of the LNP itself. Understanding the relationship between LNPs and the immune system is critical for the development of safe and effective nucleic acid-based delivery systems. In fact, targeting the immune system is essential to develop effective vaccines, as well as therapies against cancer or infections. There is a lack of research in the literature that has systematically studied the factors that influence the interaction between LNPs and the immune system and further research is needed to better elucidate the mechanisms underlying the immune response to LNPs. In this review, we discuss LNPs’ composition, physico-chemical properties, such as size, shape, and surface charge, and the protein corona formation which can affect the reactivity of the immune system, thus providing a guide for the research on new formulations that could gain a favorable efficacy/safety profile.

The Effect of Ionic Liquid@UiO-66 on the Ionic Conductivity and Physicochemical Properties of Composite PEO Electrolyte

An inorganic nanofiller made from bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide-based ionic liquids (IL) and UiO-66, was incorporated into poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) for the preparation of composite polymer electrolyte. Among various alkyl cations considered, 1-methyl-3-n-octylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide [OMIM][TFSI], with the longest alkyl chain, exhibited the most significant improvement in ionic conductivity, reaching 1.19 × 10-5 S cm-1 at room temperature. The impact of [OMIM][TFSI]@UiO-66 loading was further investigated, with the optimal loading achieved at 60% IL content. This loading caused a reduction in PEO crystallinity, as evidenced by the weakening of the XRD peak at the (1 1 2) plane of the PEO chain. This change resulted from coordination interactions between Li+ cations and the ether oxygen of the PEO chain. Perturbations in the LiTFSI peaks from FTIR spectrum indicated coordination interactions within the polymer matrix. These findings suggest the role of inorganic nanofiller in facilitating the segmental motion of charge carriers in the matrix. Furthermore, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis confirmed that the addition of inorganic nanofillers increased the amorphous nature of PEO, leading to a significant enhancement in polymer ionic conductivity. This was verified by the decrease in glass transition temperature (Tg) of PEO from 61.12 °C to 52.42 °C when filled with 60% IL. Further loading however increased the Tg which causes traffic jam phenomena in the ionic channels of the PEO. This study provides valuable insights into the relationship between physicochemical properties and the enhancement of ionic conductivity in composite polymer electrolytes with varying IL contents, which could direct the improved design of solid-state electrolyte to produce lithium-ion battery and energy storage device in general.

An investigation on structural, morphological, thermal, optical, and antibacterial properties of chitosan-oleic acid (CH-OA) composite thin films

Recent researches show an increasing interest in developing polymer composite films to improve their properties for use in biodegradable food packaging and optoelectronic applications. For this purpose, this study aims to fabricate and characterize chitosan-oleic acid (CH-OA) composite films for different optical applications. Solution casting process was used to prepare CH-OA composite films. XRD patterns of the films showed that the addition of OA up to 3.0 % (v/w) reduced their crystalline structure. The morphology of the composites was studied using SAED and SEM. SAED patterns indicated good mixing ability between OA and CH, while SEM analysis revealed the heterogeneous surface of the films and proved the incorporation of OA into the CH matrix. The thermal stability of the films was studied using DSC and TGA analyses of the composites, and their thermograms indicated the interactions between CH and OA which improved their thermal stability. The optical properties of the films were performed in the spectral region of 250–2500 nm. The near-infrared results showed that increasing the OA concentration can lead to strong local interactions between OA and other groups in the CH matrix. The transmittance spectra of CH-OA composites at UV wavelength ≤ 400 nm showed values ​​close to 0 %, indicating that all the films have UV-blocking features. Significant changes in color and opacity parameters were detected. In the visible range (400–700 nm), the absorption coefficients, absorption indices and refractive indices of the films were evaluated. The absorption edges, Urbach energies, direct and indirect energy band gaps were in the ranges of 2.491–1.849 eV, 0.591–2.008 eV, 2.698–2.578 eV and 2.167–1.422 eV, respectively, as well as the refractive index decreased from 1.837 to 1.735 to 1.149–1.119 by increasing the OA concentration to 3.0 % (v/w). The produced composites have high optical conductivities up to 1010S−1 indicating good photoresponse and enhanced electronic excitation due to increased absorption coefficient of the film. The Wemple-DiDomenico model was used to evaluate the dispersion energies and related parameters. The values ​​of dispersion energy and oscillator energy decreased from 12.388 to 1.327 eV and 6.7268 to 5.7525 eV, respectively, with the OA content increasing to 3.0 % (v/w). The swelling degree and degradation rate were also determined and the results showed an improvement in the swelling and degradation ability of the films. The composites showed the appearance of inhibition zones indicating antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli. These obtained results indicate that CH-OA composite films exhibited better physico-chemical properties with significant improvement and thus can be used in biodegradable food packaging and optoelectronic devices.