Fabrication and Characterization of Electrospun Poly(acrylonitrile--Methyl Acrylate)/Lignin Nanofibers: Effects of Lignin Type and Total Polymer Concentration.

Lignin macromolecules are potential precursor materials for producing electrospun nanofibers for composite applications. However, little is known about the effect of lignin type and blend ratios with synthetic polymers. This study analyzed blends of poly(acrylonitrile--methyl acrylate) (PAN-MA) with two types of commercially available lignin, low sulfonate (LSL) and alkali, kraft lignin (AL), in DMF solvent.

Kinetic Study of Denatonium Sorption to Smectite Clay Minerals.

The denatonium cation, as a benzoate salt, is the most bitter cation known to modern society and is frequently added to consumer products to reduce accidental and intentional consumption by humans and animals. Denatonium can enter the environment by accidental discharges, potentially rendering water supplies undrinkable. Interactions of denatonium with soil components (, smectite minerals) ultimately control the environmental fate of denatonium, but the current literature is devoid of studies that evaluate denatonium sorption to smectite minerals.

Solid-state NMR identification and quantification of newly formed aluminosilicate phases in weathered kaolinite systems.

The weathering of a specimen kaolinite clay was studied over the course of 369 d via solid-state 29Si magic angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and high-field 27Al MAS NMR. The chosen baseline solution conditions (0.05 mol kg-1 of Al, 2 mol kg-1 of Na+, 1 mol kg-1 of NO3-, 1 mol kg-1 of OH-, and pH approximately 13.