Bio-based thermosetting epoxy foam: Tannic acid valorization toward dye-decontaminating and thermo-protecting applications.

Bio-resourced thermosetting epoxy foam was synthesized from tannic acid toward two different applications e.g., dye-decontaminating and thermo-insulating. Epoxidized tannic acid (ETA) foam was produced without using of organic volatile compounds or flammable foaming gases. The foam density, thermal conductivity and closed-cell content were studied. Besides, TGA showed high char yield (49% in N2 and 48.3% in air) at 600 °C accompanied by high LOI (37.1 in N2 and 36.8 in air). The high thermo-stability and intumescent char yield along with low thermal conductivity recommends the foam suitability for being used as an insulating material. Additionally, sorption of methylene blue onto ETA foam was kinetically investigated. The study of contact time, ionic strength, solution pH, initial sorbate concentration and desorption revealed the dependency of the sorption process to pH and initial sorbate concentration. The experimental data fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm (R2 = 0.997), yielding maximum sorption capacity of 36.25 mg/g (ETA foam = 0.05 g, pH = 7, MB concentration = 50 ppm, Volume = 25 mL). The kinetic data verified that MB sorption could be represented by the pseudo second-order model. Overall, the ETA foam can be introduced as a candidate for removing cationic pollutants, thermal insulator, and self-extinguishing/intumescent materials.

Ionically cross-linked carrageenan-alginate hydrogel beads.

Hydrogel beads based on the carbohydrate biopolymers kappa-carrageenan and sodium alginate were newly prepared. Both classical and experimental design (Taguchi) methods were used to obtain the optimum conditions for the full-polysaccharide hydrogel preparation. The carrageenan-alginate (Caralgi) beads exhibited a surface morphology smoother than that of the one-polysaccharide network beads. Infrared spectroscopy and DSC/TGA thermal methods were used to study the chemical structure and thermal properties of the beads. The carrageenan parts appreciably enhanced thermostability of the networks. The fully carbohydrate-based hydrogel beads are expected to be biologically compatible and degradable. They are being considered as new carriers for drug loading and controlled delivery systems.

Modified carrageenan. 2. Hydrolyzed crosslinked kappa-carrageenan-g-PAAm as a novel smart superabsorbent hydrogel with low salt sensitivity.

A novel pH-responsive superabsorbing hydrogel based on K-carrageenan (kappaC) was prepared through polyacrylamide crosslinking grafting followed by alkaline hydrolysis. The hydrogel structure was confirmed using FT-IR spectroscopy. The hydrolysis conditions were systematically optimized to obtain a hydrogel with maximum swelling capacity. Thus, the reaction variables, including the hydrolysis time and temperature, concentration of sodium hydroxide, amount of hydrogel hydrolyzed and post-neutralization pH, were optimized. The swelling measurements of the hydrogels were conducted in 0.15 M aqueous solutions of LiCl, NaCl, KCI, CaCl2 and AlCl3. As observed for the hydrolyzed hydrogel (H-carragPAM), it was found that a 'charge screening' action of small cations and carboxylate anions affected the swelling in univalent salt solutions. In the case of the non-hydrolyzed hydrogel (carragPAM), however, a converse trend was observed. As a result, carragPAM and H-carragPAM superabsorbent hydrogels showed a maximum swelling of 45 and 135 g/g in LiCl and KCl solutions, respectively. Due to the high swelling capacity in salt solutions, the hydrogels may be referred to as anti-salt superabsrbents. The swelling of superabsorbing hydrogels was examined in buffer solutions with pH values ranging between 1 and 13. The H-carragPAM hydrogel exhibited a pH-responsie character so that a swelling-deswelling pulsatile behavior was recorded at pH 4 and 9. The swelling kinetics of H-carragPAM were preliminary investigated.