This study focuses on the synthesis and practical application of bio-nanocomposite films made from a mixture of starch (ST) and Kraft lignin (KL) with graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles. FTIR, XRD, Raman, SEM, and TEM analysis confirmed the synthesis's success of GO. The bio-nanocomposites were used as advanced coatings for triple superphosphate (TSP) fertilizers, and their implications for maize (Zea mays L.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTreating hydroxyapatite (HAP) with sulfonic acid without structural destruction remains challenging owing to the sensitivity of HAP to acidic pH. In this work, natural derived HAP was prepared using natural phosphate a dissolution/precipitation process. Notwithstanding the challenge, the prepared HAP was treated with three concentrations of chlorosulfonic acid in dichloromethane to prepare HAP-S1, HAP-S2 and HAP-S3 depending on the acid content under carefully controlled conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe purpose of this work is to produce keratin hydrolysate from sheep wool by alkaline hydrolysis and to assess its effectiveness in improving maize plant growth under greenhouse conditions. A hybrid response surface methodology with Box-Behnken design (RSM-BBD) was used to model and optimize the hydrolysis process. The synergistic effects between three critical independent variables including temperature, hydrolysis time, and concentration of KOH on the hydrolysis rate were statistically investigated and optimized.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this study, a new eco-friendly urea-rich sodium alginate-based hydrogel with a slow-release nitrogen property was prepared, and its effectiveness was evaluated in the cultivation of tomato plants under different water stress levels. The structure and performance of the hydrogel were investigated by FTIR, XRD, TGA, DTG, and SEM. The swelling and release experiments showed that prepared urea-rich hydrogel exhibited a high-water holding capacity (412 ± 4 g/g) and showed a sustained and slow nitrogen release property.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis review investigates the potential of nanocellulose in agriculture, encompassing its structure, synthesis, modification, and applications. Our investigation of the characteristics of nanocellulose includes a comprehensive classification of its structure. Various mechanical, chemical and enzymatic synthesis techniques are evaluated, each offering distinct possibilities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSuperabsorbent polymers (SAPs) are a class of polymers that have attracted tremendous interest due to their multifunctional properties and wide range of applications. The importance of this class of polymers is highlighted by the large number of publications, including articles and patents, dealing with the use of SAPs for various applications. Within this framework, this review provides an overview of SAPs and highlights various key aspects, such as their history, classification, and preparation methods, including those related to chemically or physically cross-linked networks, as well as key factors affecting their performance in terms of water absorption and storage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe main challenge facing agriculture today is water scarcity. At present, agriculture consumes around 70 % of the planet's freshwater, much of which is lost through evaporation, leaching and runoff. This wastage, combined with the increased frequency and severity of droughts linked to climate change, is having a considerable negative impact on crops.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWater contamination by pesticides is a critical environmental issue, necessitating the development of sustainable and efficient degradation methods. This study focuses on synthesizing and evaluating a novel heterogeneous sonocatalyst for degrading pesticide methidathion. The catalyst consists of graphene oxide (GO) decorated CuFeO@SiO nanocomposites.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStarch, as a widely available renewable resource, has the potential to be used in the production of controlled-release fertilizers (CRFs) that support sustainable agriculture. These CRFs can be formed by incorporating nutrients through coating or absorption, or by chemically modifying the starch to enhance its ability to carry and interact with nutrients. This review examines the various methods of creating starch-based CRFs, including coating, chemical modification, and grafting with other polymers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe present study focuses on the catalytic activity of cesium modified natural phosphate in biodiesel production from rapeseed oil and low free fatty acids (FFA) used in cooking oil. The catalyst was prepared by impregnation of cesium chloride (CsCl) on the natural phosphate followed by calcination up to 800 °C. The phosphate based catalyst was thermally, structurally, morphologically, and texturally characterized in order to determinate the relationship between its physicochemical properties and its catalytic activity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study focuses on the design of highly hydrophobic polyester fabrics (PET) coated with organophilic graphene nanosheets (G-ODA) through a simple, cost-effective and scalable coating method. The organophilic graphene oxide was successfully synthesized by covalently grafting a long chain fatty amine on its surface and was fully characterized by various physicochemical techniques. G-ODA was coated at different loadings onto the PET fabric ranging from 1 to 7 wt% to produce uniformly dispersed PET@G-ODA fabrics with multifunctional performances.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the present study, we report the synthesis of various quinoxaline derivatives from direct condensation of substituted aromatic 1,2-diamine with 1,2-dicarbonyl catalyzed by nanostructured pyrophosphate NaPdPO as a new highly efficient bifunctionalheterogeneous catalyst. The quinoxaline synthesis was performed in ethanol as a green and suitable solvent at ambient temperature to afford the desired quinoxalines with good to excellent yields in shorter reaction times. Many Quinoxaline derivatives were successfully synthesized using various 1,2-diketones and 1,2-diamines at room temperature.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the current study, the graphene oxide (GO) encapsulated carboxymethyl cellulose-Alginate (CMC-Alg) hydrogel microspheres were prepared via ionotropic gelation method and characterized using FTIR, TGA, SEM-EDS and surface charge by determining pH. The adsorption of Cu ions from aqueous solution on the graphene oxide embedded CMC-Alg was studied under different experimental conditions, and the results showed that embedded beads had high adsorption capacity compared with pure CMC-Alg beads due to synergetic effect between functional groups GO and CMC-Alg matrix. Adsorption capacities at equilibrium were calculated experimentally as 22.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnvironment-friendly composite hydrogel beads based on carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), alginate (Alg) and graphene oxide (GO) were synthesized by an ionotropic gelation technique and studied as an efficient adsorbent for methylene blue (MB). The chemical structure and surface morphology of the prepared hydrogel beads were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and point of zero charge (pH). A hybrid response surface methodology integrated Box-Behnken design (RSM-BBD) was successfully developed to model, simulate, and optimize the biosorption process.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF-Arylation of imidazole was carried out with various arylboronic acids on iron oxide encapsulated by copper-apatite (FeO@Cu-apatite), producing excellent yields. Firstly, the iron nanoparticles were prepared using a solvothermal method, and then they were encapsulated by copper-apatite to obtain magnetic FeO@Cu-apatite nanocatalysts. Several physico-chemical analysis techniques were used to characterize the prepared nanostructured FeO@Cu-apatite catalyst.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this work, a bifunctional nanohybrid silver/zinc oxide material (Ag/ZnO) has been synthesized by a rapid route using sodium alginate simultaneously as a sacrificial template and silver reducing agent. The obtained samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), solid diffuse reflectance and liquid state UV-visible spectroscopy (DRS, UV-visible), and nitrogen adsorption-desorption analysis (BET-BJH). The XRD patterns showed that the Ag/ZnO sample is composed of a hexagonal zinc oxide structure with cubic metallic silver (Ag°).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCopper incorporated apatite (Cu-apatite) nanomaterial was prepared by a co-precipitation method. The obtained material was characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, STEM) and nitrogen adsorption-desorption. The as-prepared Cu-apatite was used to catalyze phenol hydroxylation with hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the present study, we investigate a simple and effective synthetic protocol to produce zinc oxide foams by a facile solution-based method using alginate gelation. The influences of the zinc concentration and the drying process on the structural, textural and morphological properties of the synthesized ZnO nanomaterial were studied and discussed. The components of these nanomaterials were characterized by several techniques to demonstrate the effectiveness of the adopted synthetic route in controlling the growth of the ZnO nanoparticles.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHerein, we report the preparation of magnetic CoFeO nanoparticles and CoFeO/graphene oxide (GO) hybrids and evaluate their catalytic activity as heterogeneous peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activators for the decomposition of rhodamine B. The surface morphologies and structures of both CoFeO nanoparticles and CoFeO/GO hybrids were investigated by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms. The magnetic properties of the samples were assessed using a SQUID magnetometer at 298 K.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this study, graphene oxide (GO) was investigated as a potential nanoreinforcing agent in starch/lignin (ST/L) biopolymer matrix. Bionanocomposite films based on ST/L blend matrix and GO were prepared by solution-casting technique of the corresponding film-forming solution. The structures, morphologies, and properties of bionanocomposite films were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis), SEM, and tensile tests.
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