Ozone-activated lignocellulose films blended with chitosan for edible film production.

This work focuses on the influence of ozone pretreatment on the fractionation and solubilization of sugarcane bagasse and soda bagasse pulp fibers in sodium hydroxide/urea solution, as well as the application of regenerated cellulose for producing edible films. The methodology involved pretreating lignocelluloses with ozone for 20 to 120 min before dissolving in sodium hydroxide/urea solution. The influence of the pretreatment conditions on cellulose dissolution yield was investigated. Regenerated cellulose films were then formed, with and without the addition of 2 % chitosan. Mechanical, physical, structural, thermal, and antimicrobial attributes were determined as a function of ozonation conditions of raw materials and chitosan content. The findings exhibited positive effects of short ozonation on enhancing mechanical strength, cohesion, and hydrophobicity. The prolonged ozonation of 120 min demonstrated optimal improvements in continuity, swelling, and antibacterial resistance of obtained films. Incorporating chitosan enhanced tensile performance, stiffness, and vapor barriers but increased moisture absorption. Tailoring the activation of biomass through ozone pretreatment and chitosan addition resulted in renewable films with adjustable properties to meet diverse packaging requirements, particularly for fruit protective coatings, ensuring the preservation of post-harvest quality.

Synthesis and characterization of gelatin/lignin hydrogels as quick release drug carriers for Ribavirin.

In this study, hydrogels based on gelatin and lignin were fabricated as efficient drug carriers for Ribavirin. The obtained hydrogels were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), mechanical compression and rheometry. Results showed that the pore structure, viscoelastic behavior and swelling ability significantly influenced by varying lignin content and crosslinker ratio. By increasing the crosslinker N-(3-Dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) content, the pore size became smaller, while increasing the lignin content resulted in larger pores. In addition, all hydrogels show strong shear thinning behavior. Ribavirin was used as a drug model, and its release rate was enhanced by increasing lignin content in the binary hydrogel structure. A higher Ribavirin cumulative release was observed for gelatin/lignin with higher lignin content (3 %) hydrogel. These findings emphasize the chemical composition on the structure and the release behavior of lignin-containing hydrogels.

Valorization and Development of Acorn Starch as Sustainable and High-Performance Papermaking Additive for Improving Bagasse Pulp and Paper Properties.

Improving bagasse pulp and paper properties using forest-byproduct biomass, native Acorn starch (NAS), was compared with conventional wet-end additive cationic corn starch (CCS). The extracted acorn starch was characterized by SEM, XRD, and GPC. The results clearly showed irregular granular shape (6-12 µm) with rough surfaces, CA-type XRD pattern, and 436.2 kDa molecular weights for NAS. The bagasse pulp retention and drainage as keys of operation performance and runnability were superior by NAS in comparison with CCS, while the lowest dosage of NAS (0.5%) showed superior results than the highest dosages of CCS (1% & 1.5%). The higher NAS adsorption onto the fiber surfaces compared to CCS could be concluded by higher water retention value (WRV) of the pulp together with higher density (up to 20%) and mechanical properties of the produced paper, e.g., tensile (up to 63%), burst (up to 37%) and tear (up to 11%) indices. NAS exploiting naturally as a papermaking additive would provide performance higher than commercial chemically-modified starch.

Effect of Nanocellulose Types on Microporous Acrylic Acid/Sodium Alginate Super Absorbent Polymers.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different types of nanocellulose, i.e., cellulose nanocrystal (CNC), cellulose nanofiber (CNF) and bacterial nanocellulose (BNC), and also different drying methods (oven-drying and freeze-drying) on the properties of acrylic acid (AA)/sodium alginate (SA) super absorbent polymers (SAPs). In addition, the presence of ammonium per sulfate as an initiator and N-N methylene-bis-acrylamide as a cross-linker were considered. Synthesized SAPs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The absorption and rheological properties (i.e., storage modulus and loss modulus) were also investigated. The results of FTIR spectroscopy demonstrated several types of interactions, such as hydrogen and esterification, between SA, AA and nanocellulose. SEM analysis revealed a microporous structure in the SAPs. All SAPs had a centrifuge retention capacity (CRC)/free swelling capacity (FSC) ≥ 69%. The absorption behavior showed that the oven-dried SAPs had superior (about 2×) CRC and FRC in different aqueous media compared to the freeze-dried counterparts. The freeze-dried SAPs showed increased rheological properties in comparison to the oven-dried ones, with SAPs containing BNC and CNC having the highest rheological properties, respectively. Overall, it can be concluded that oven-dried SAPs containing CNC had better absorption properties than the other ones tested in this study.

Effects of cellulose nanofibrils and starch compared with polyacrylamide on fundamental properties of pulp and paper.

Bio-based additives received significant attention in pulp and paper properties improvement. For this, the most cited biochemical Cellulose Nano Fibrils (CNFs) and Cationic Starch (CS) were experimentally compared with the most declared synthetic chemical, Cationic Polyacrylamide (CPAM). SEM images showed better paper surface filling by the utilization of the chemicals. The three studied polymers, in solely or combination mechanism, improved mainly bagasse pulp and paper properties compared to the blank sample, except for pulp drainage, which decreased by CNFs to lower volumes presumably due to its intrinsic characteristics. Cationic polymers (CP) compared to CP/CNFs approaches increased pulp retention and drainage but decreased paper density and strengths. The best pulp retention and drainage achieved by CS followed by CPAM, while paper air persistency, density, and strength properties evaluated highest by CP/CNFs followed by CNFs. Generally, CS revealed a more significant improvement in pulp and paper properties than CPAM either with or without CNFs.

Effects of cationic starch in the presence of cellulose nanofibrils on structural, optical and strength properties of paper from soda bagasse pulp.

The effects of widely available bio-based additives, cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) (0.1, 0.5, 1, and 2 wt%, based on dry weight of pulp) in combination with high degree of substitution cationic starch (CS) (0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 wt%, based on dry weight of pulp) on the structural, optical and strength properties of handsheet paper made from soda bagasse pulp were studied. Obtained results indicated that both the type and loading level of the additives had meaningful effects (99% confidence level) on the evaluated properties. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed the retention and reinforcing effects of the additives on the paper network. Tensile and burst strengths increased continuously with increasing levels of the bio-additives up to 33% and 23% (0.6 CS/2% CNFs), respectively. However, the cellulose nanofibrils improved retention and drainage of the pulp at the lower levels (0.5 CS/0.1 CNFs), presumably due to complex interaction between CNFs and CS. Moreover, for the handsheet papers made of semi-bleached soda bagasse pulp, higher addition of CNFs improved the brightness of paper.

Biodegradability and mechanical properties of reinforced starch nanocomposites using cellulose nanofibers.

In this study the effects of chemical modification of cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) on the biodegradability and mechanical properties of reinforced thermoplastic starch (TPS) nanocomposites was evaluated. The CNFs were modified using acetic anhydride and the nanocomposites were fabricated by solution casting from corn starch with glycerol/water as the plasticizer and 10 wt% of either CNFs or acetylated CNFs (ACNFs). The morphology, water absorption (WA), water vapor permeability rate (WVP), tensile, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and fungal degradation properties of the obtained nanocomposites were investigated. The results demonstrated that the addition of CNFs and ACNFs significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites and reduced the WVP and WA of the TPS. The effects were more pronounced for the CNFs than the ACNFs. The DMA showed that the storage modulus was improved, especially for the CNFs/TPS nanocomposite. Compared with the neat TPS, the addition of nanofibers improved the degradation rate of the nanocomposite and particularly ACNFs reduced degradation rate of the nanocomposite toward fungal degradation.

Solvent-free acetylation of cellulose nanofibers for improving compatibility and dispersion.

Cellulose nanofibers (CNFs), as bio-materials derived from wood or non-wood plants, have the advantages of being biodegradable, renewable, low cost, and having good mechanical properties compared to synthetic nanofibers. CNFs have been used as reinforcement in polymeric matrices, however, due to their polar surface, their dispersibility in non-polar solvents and compatibility with hydrophobic matrices are poor. In this work, the chemical modification of CNFs, using acetic anhydride in the presence of pyridine as a catalyst, was studied with the aim of changing the surface properties. Native and chemically modified CNFs were characterized in terms of dynamic absorption, thermal stability, surface chemistry, morphology, and crystal structure. The reaction of acetylation between the acetyl groups and the hydroxyl groups of the CNFs was examined using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis, while its extent was assessed by titration. The ester content of CNFs was higher for the acetylated samples compared to the control samples. It was also shown that the crystallinity decreased moderately as a result of esterification. Thermal stability of the modified nanofibers was slightly increased. Unlike native CNFs, a stable aqueous suspension was obtained with the modified nanofibers in both ethanol and acetone. The contact angle measurements confirmed that the surface characteristics of acetylated CNFs were changed from hydrophilic to more hydrophobic. In addition, the obtained acetylated CNFs showed more hydrophobic surface, which is in favor of enhancing the hydrophobic non-polar mediums.

Preparation of cellulose/polyvinyl alcohol biocomposite films using 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride.

This study has been focused on developing cellulose/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a biocomposite film, pretreated with 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([bmim]Cl). The dissolved polymers were blended and their biocomposite films including cellulose and cellulose/PVA were prepared. The effect of PVA composition with cellulose was evaluated by comparing the physical, mechanical, chemical and thermal characteristics of produced films with neat cellulosic film. The results showed that the ionic liquid had a great capability in dissolving the polymers. Furthermore, in composition of the raw cellulose some chemical bonds were incorporated between the two components. Water uptake, thickness swelling and water vapor permeability of blend films were increased comparing to cellulosic film. Mechanical strength and Young's modulus of the films made of cellulose/PVA were decreased while the strain at break was increased. The optical transparency and thermal properties of the blend films were almost the same as neat cellulosic film. This work demonstrated a promising route for the preparation of biodegradable green composites. In addition, this biocomposite film is composed of sustainable biodegradable resources, which is suitable for release to the environment. The biocomposite films showed good optical transparency, thermal stabilities properties.

Effect of chitosan and cationic starch on the surface chemistry properties of bagasse paper.

The use of non-wood fibers in the paper industry has been an economical and environmental necessity. The application of dry-strength agents has been a successful method to enhance the strength properties of paper. The experimental results evidencing the potential of chitosan and cationic starch utilization in bagasse paper subjected to hot water pre-extraction has been presented in this paper. The research analyzes the surface properties alterations due to these dry-strength agents. Inverse gas chromatography was used to evaluate the properties of surface chemistry of the papers namely the surface energy, active sites, surface area as well as the acidic/basic character. The results of the study revealed that the handsheets process causes surface arrangement and orientation of chemical groups, which induce a more hydrophobic and basic surface. The acid-base surface characteristics after the addition of dry-strength agents were the same as the bagasse handsheets with and without hot water pre-extraction. The results showed that the dry-strength agent acts as a protecting film or glaze on the surfaces of bagasse paper handsheets.

WITHDRAWN: Elucidation of structural condensation in lignin of eastern cottonwood.

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Improving wet and dry strength properties of recycled old corrugated carton (OCC) pulp using various polymers.

In this study, the application of different dosages of low and high molecular weights (MW) of chitosan (Ch), cationic starch (CS) and poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) were systematically investigated using old corrugated carton (OCC) furnishes. Various sequences of above-mentioned polymeric additives were also examined to find out the optimal combination for improving both wet and dry tensile strength. For each treatment, 4 handsheets, each having basis weight of 100 g/m(2), were made. In general, the tensile strength of handsheets was significantly affected by the addition of polymeric agents. The enhancing effect of additives on dry tensile property was much higher than wet condition. The results also showed that the tensile strength of the samples made from OCC furnishes were improved upon the addition of high molecular weight chitosan (ChI) compared to the untreated ones (control). The low MW chitosan did not change the properties of handsheets dramatically. Application of polymeric agents moderately decreased the stretch to rupture, however with increasing dosage the stretch was improved. Sequential addition of used polymers showed that triple application of polymers was beneficial to both dry and wet tensile strength, although the effect was larger for dry. The best results in wet and dry tensile strengths were achieved using sequential of PVA-ChI-CS. Sequential addition of oppositely charged polymers forms a macromolecular layered structure of polyelectrolytes.

Study on the effects of white rice husk ash and fibrous materials additions on some properties of fiber-cement composites.

This work assesses the effects of white rice husk ash (WRHA) as pozzolanic material, virgin kraft pulp (VKP), old corrugated container (OCC) and fibers derived from fiberboard (FFB) as reinforcing agents on some properties of blended cement composites. In the sample preparation, composites were manufactured using fiber-to-cement ratio of 25:75 by weight and 5% CaCl(2) as accelerator. Type II Portland cement was replaced by WRHA at 0%, 25% and 50% by weight of binder. A water-to-binder ratio of 0.55 was used for all blended cement paste mixes. For parametric study, compressive strength, water absorption and density of the composite samples were evaluated. Results showed that WRHA can be applied as a pozzolanic material to cement and also improved resistance to water absorption. However, increasing the replacement level of WRHA tends to reduce the compressive strength due to the low binding ability. The optimum replacement level of WRHA in mortar was 25% by weight of binder; this replacement percentage resulted in better compressive strengths and water absorption. OCC fiber is shown to be superior to VKF and FFB fibers in increasing the compressive strength, due to its superior strength properties. As expected, the increase of the WRHA content induced the reduction of bulk density of the cement composites. Statistical analysis showed that the interaction of above-mentioned variable parameters was significant on the mechanical and physical properties at 1% confidence level.

Effects of hot water pre-extraction on surface properties of bagasse soda pulp.

In this work, the effects of hot water pre-extraction of depithed bagasse on the soda pulping and surface properties were studied. The conditions of hot water pre-extraction were: maximum temperature 170 °C, heat-up time 90 min, time at maximum temperature 10 min, and solid to liquor ratio (S:L) 1:8. Consequently, the pre-extracted and un-extracted bagasse chips were subjected to soda pulping at 160 °C for 1h with 11, 14 and 17% active alkali charge and an S:L of 1:5. The results showed that the hot water pre-extraction increased bagasse surface texture porosity by hemicellulose degradation. Therefore, the delignification was faster for pulping of pre-extracted samples. At a certain charge of alkali, pre-extracted samples showed higher screened yield and lower Kappa number. For instance, at 17% alkali charge, pre-extracted bagasse gave 11.3% higher pulp yield compared with the un-extracted ones. Inverse gas chromatography (IGC) results showed that the hot water pre-extraction changed the active sites on the bagasse surface, decreasing the dispersive energy and the basicity character, and affected the particle morphology. The pulping process decreased the hydrophobicity and the basicity of the bagasse surface. The surfaces of un-extracted and pre-extracted bagasse pulps had similar properties but different morphology. The pulps present higher surface area and permeability with more reactive capacity.

Removal of Acid Orange 7 and Remazol Black 5 reactive dyes from aqueous solutions using a novel biosorbent.

This study utilizes canola stalks (CS), an agro-residue, as a biosorbent to remove two different dyes, namely Acid Orange 7 (AO7) and Remozol Black 5 (RB5) from aqueous solutions. The effects of operational parameters on the efficiency of dye removal including pH, adsorbent mass, initial dye concentration and contact time have been investigated. For both tested dyes, the maximum absorption capacity was reached at initial pH 2.5 and 120 min contact time. The results showed that the absorption of both dyes depended on the pH of milieu, temperature, dye and CS concentrations. Freundlich and Langmuir models were used to analyze the obtained experimental data. The isotherms are found to be linear over the entire concentration range for both dyes. The highest value of linear correlation coefficients for AO7 (0.9926) and RB5 (0.9882) showed that the Langmuir is the best model to fit the experimental data. Kinetic study of absorption was done applying the pseudo first-order and the pseudo second-order equations. Absorption of both dyes could be well predicted by the pseudo second-order equation. The obtained results are very promising since: (i) high levels of dye removal (>90%) were achieved with low contact times biosorbent/dye (less than 20 min contact); and (ii) the whole CS can be successfully used as biosorbent of AO7 and RB5 dyes in aqueous solution without needing any chemical modifications.