Green synthesis of multifunctional natural rubber-lignin nanocomposites: A sustainable approach for waste reduction.

Lignin, a valuable biomaterial having an array of exciting properties is increasingly favoured as a reinforcement material in the fabrication of green composites. Reinforcement in biopolymers like natural rubber (NR) using lignin nanoparticles (LNP) is considered a hotspot today. In this study, LNP synthesized via the homogenization method was incorporated into natural rubber latex (NRL) using probe sonication, and NR/Lignin nanocomposites (NR/LNP) were fabricated using latex dipping method.

Designed and tailor-made double hydrophilic block copolymer-graphene nanoplatelet hybrids for reinforcing epoxy thermosets.

Because of their propensity to build micellar nanostructures, amphiphilic block copolymers (ABCs) are an appropriate and unique toughening agent for epoxy systems individually on their own and in grafted form. The presence of epoxiphilic and phobic ends in ABCs is responsible for the self-assembly and the micellar structure. Nanofiller-grafted ABCs can effectively enhance the toughness of epoxy via the synergistic interaction of nanofillers and the ABCs.

Effective role of tannic acid in the fabrication of hydrophobic, oleophilic, antibacterial, boron nitride/chlorobutyl rubber nanocomposite for reusable protective clothing and oil-water separation.

Boron Nitride (h-BN) possesses unique qualities like increased thermal conductivity, non-toxic nature, and environmental friendliness; hence, it is a good reinforcing agent for chlorobutyl rubber (CIIR). Tannic acid (TA) holds excellent bio-functional properties and is considered as an exceptional bio-exfoliating agent. Hence, in this study, we have utilized the bio-exfoliating ability of TA to exfoliate h-BN and evaluate its efficiency in reinforcing the CIIR matrix.

Multifunctional role of tannic acid in improving the mechanical, thermal and antimicrobial properties of natural rubber-molybdenum disulfide nanocomposites.

Natural rubber is the only biosynthesized rubber and the most prominent of all the elastomers. Insertion of nanofillers into natural rubber matrix has received much research interest because of the enhanced mechanical, thermal, electrical, antibacterial, etc. properties of the final natural rubber nanocomposite.

MoS based nanomaterials: Advanced antibacterial agents for future.

Bacterial infections are yet another serious threat to human health. Misuse or overuse of conventional antibiotics has led to the arrival of various super resistant bacteria along with many serious side effects to human body. In this exigent circumstance, the use of nanomaterial based antibacterial agents is one of the most appropriate solutions to fight against bacteria thereby causing an inhibition to bacterial proliferation.

Amine functionalized carbon quantum dots from paper precursors for selective binding and fluorescent labelling applications.

We report a novel synthesis route for preparing carbon quantum dots (CQDs) of customized surface functionality from readily available precursors. The synthetic strategy is based on the chemical modification of paper precursors prior to preparing CQDs from them. The pre-synthesis modification of paper precursors with (3-Aminopropyl) triethoxy silane (APTES) enabled us to synthesize CQDs with amine functional groups on the surface.

A comprehensive review on the recent advancements in natural rubber nanocomposites.

Natural rubber (NR) is an eminent sustainable material and is the only agricultural product among various rubbers. Use of nanofillers in NR matrix as a reinforcing agent has gained huge attention because they offer excellent matrix-filler interaction upon forming a good dispersion in the NR matrix. Nanoscale dispersion of fillers lead to greater interfacial interactions between NR and fillers compared to microfillers, which in turn lead to a conspicuous reinforcing effect.

Gas Barrier, Rheological and Mechanical Properties of Immiscible Natural Rubber/Acrylonitrile Butadiene Rubber/Organoclay (NR/NBR/Organoclay) Blend Nanocomposites.

In this paper, gas permeability studies were performed on materials based on natural rubber/acrylonitrile butadiene rubber blends and nanoclay incorporated blend systems. The properties of natural rubber (NR)/nitrile rubber (NBR)/nanoclay nanocomposites, with a particular focus on gas permeability, are presented. The measurements of the barrier properties were assessed using two different gases-O and CO-by taking in account the blend composition, the filler loading and the nature of the gas molecules.

Improved Bioavailability of Curcumin in Gliadin-Protected Gold Quantum Cluster for Targeted Delivery.

This study deals with the synthesis of a gliadin-stabilized gold quantum cluster (AuQC) for the encapsulation of curcumin (CUR) and its targeted delivery to the cancer cell. CUR is an anticancer drug containing a hydrophobic polyphenol derived from the rhizome of . The utilization of CUR in cancer treatment is limited because of suboptimal pharmacokinetics and poor bioavailability at the tumor site.

Quinoline appended pillar[5]arene (QPA) as Fe sensor and complex of Fe (FeQPA) as a selective sensor for F, arginine and lysine in the aqueous medium.

A quinoline functionalized pillar[5]arene, QPA has been prepared and its interaction with biologically relevant ions and molecules in aqueous solution has been demonstrated. The sensor molecule, QPA has shown selectivity towards Fe among eleven metal ions studied. The Fe complex of QPA (FeQPA) selectively interacts with F among halides by ∼4 fold fluorescence enhancement.

Green synthesis of a plant-derived protein protected copper quantum cluster for intrauterine device application.

Fluorescent copper quantum clusters (CuQCs) have received great interest in recent times due to their attractive features, such as water solubility, low cost, wide availability of Cu and good biocompatibility. Recently, considerable efforts have been devoted to the preparation and applications of CuQCs. Herein, we report a simple one-pot green method for the preparation of fluorescent CuQCs using a plant-derived protein, gluten, as a stabilizing agent.

Sustainable Electronic Materials: Reversible Phototuning of Conductance in a Noncovalent Assembly of MWCNT and Bioresource-Derived Photochromic Molecule.

Tuning the microstructure, conductance, band gap of a single molecule with an external stimuli such as light have vital importance in nanoscale molecular electronics. Azobenzene systems are inimitable light responsive molecules suitable for the development of optically modulated materials. In this work we have demonstrated the development of an optically active Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube (MWCNT)-hybrid material by the noncovalent functionalization of azo based chromophore derived from cardanol, a bioresource material.

Choline-induced selective fluorescence quenching of acetylcholinesterase conjugated Au@BSA clusters.

We have developed a highly selective sensitive fluorescent detection of acetylcholine (ACh) using bovine serum albumin (BSA) protected atomically precise clusters of gold. The gold quantum clusters (AuQC@BSA) synthesized using bovine serum albumin and conjugated with acetylcholinesterase (AChE), an enzyme specific for acetylcholine, resulting in AuQC@BSA-AChE. The enzyme, AChE hydrolyzes acetylcholine (ACh) to choline (Ch) which in turn interacts with AuQC@BSA-AChE and quenches its fluorescence, enabling sensing.

Cholesterol aided etching of tomatine gold nanoparticles: a non-enzymatic blood cholesterol monitor.

Colloidal gold is extensively used for molecular sensing because of the wide flexibilities it offers in terms of modifications of the gold nanoparticles (GNPs) surface with a variety of functional groups. We describe a simple, enzyme free assay for the detection of cholesterol, and demonstrate its applicability by estimating cholesterol in human serum samples. To enable cholesterol detection, we functionalized GNPs with tomatine, a glycoalkaloid found in the leaves and stem of tomato plants.

Naked eye detection of infertility using fructose blue--a novel gold nanoparticle based fructose sensor.

A simple and low cost colorimetric method, requiring no instrumentation, is presented for the detection of fructose in human semen, a marker of seminal vesicle function. In this study we have synthesized a novel gold nanoparticle (AuNP) based sensor, named as fructose blue, by co-functionalizing AuNPs with 3-aminophenyl boronic acid (APB) and L-glutamic acid-(2,2,2)-trichloroethyl ester (GTE). The red-shift in the plasmon absorption spectra of fructose blue with different fructose concentrations accompanied by colour change of the solution from red to blue is the principle applied here for the estimation of fructose.

PVT behavior of thermoplastic poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile)-modified epoxy systems: relating polymerization-induced viscoelastic phase separation with the cure shrinkage performance.

The volume shrinkage during polymerization of a thermoplastic modified epoxy resin undergoing a simultaneous viscoelastic phase separation was investigated for the first time by means of pressure-volume-temperature (PVT) analysis. Varying amounts (0-20%) of poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) (SAN) have been incorporated into a high-temperature epoxy-diamine system, diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA)-4,4'-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS) mixture, and subsequently polymerized isothermally at a constant pressure of 10 MPa. Volume shrinkage is highest for the double-phased network-like bicontinuous morphology in the SAN-15% system.