Chitosan-Alginate Gels for Sorption of Hazardous Materials: The Effect of Chemical Composition and Physical State.

Chitosan, alginate, and chitosan-alginate (50:50) mixed hydrogels were prepared by freeze casting, freeze-drying, and subsequent physical cross-linking. Chitosan was cross-linked with citrate and alginate with calcium ions, while the mixed gels were cross-linked with both cross-linking agents. Both cryogels and xerogels were obtained by lyophilization and drying of the hydrogels.

Effect of Heating and Citric Acid on the Performance of Cellulose Nanocrystal Thin Films.

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were extracted from bleached cotton by sulfuric acid hydrolysis. Thin films were prepared from the aqueous suspension of CNCs by casting and evaporation with 15% glycerol as a plasticizer. Our research aimed to create stable films resistant to water.

The Role of Structure and Interactions in Thermoplastic Starch-Nanocellulose Composites.

Composite films were fabricated by using cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as reinforcement up to 50 wt% in thermoplastic starch (TPS). Structure and interactions were modified by using different types (glycerol and sorbitol) and different amounts (30 and 40%) of plasticizers. The structure of the composites was characterized by visible spectroscopy, Haze index measurements, and scanning electron microscopy.

The role of the particle size reduction and morphological changes of solid substrate in the ultrasound-aided enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose.

The contribution of ultrasound-aided particle size reduction to the efficiency of the subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis and the accompanying morphological changes of bleached cotton and linen powders were investigated. The aqueous suspensions of cellulosic powders were pretreated either with an ultrasonic bath (US-B) or with a horn-type reactor (US-H). Results revealed that the impact of US-H was more pronounced than that of the US-B.