Structural investigation and application of Tween 80-choline chloride self-assemblies as osmotic agent for water desalination.

Forward osmosis (FO) process has been extensively considered as a potential technology that could minimize the problems of traditional water desalination processes. Finding an appropriate osmotic agent is an important concern in the FO process. For the first time, a nonionic surfactant-based draw solution was introduced using self-assemblies of Tween 80 and choline chloride.

Preparation of chitosan-based composites with urethane cross linkage and evaluation of their properties for using as wound healing dressing.

In this research, biocomposite films containing chitosan (CS), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), with different ratios, have been provided. The effects of adding hexamethylene 1, 6-di(aminocarboxysulfonate) (HMDACS) as cross-linking agent and the formation of urethane linkage on mechanical properties such as tensile strength, elongation and dynamic-mechanical properties such as storage modulus and tan δ were studied. Also, the antibacterial properties of the composites were investigated by viable bacterial cell counting and compared in reducing the bacterial growth.

Preparation and characterization of polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate (PHBV) as green composites using nano reinforcements.

This article presents the preparation and characterization of polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate (PHBV) nanocomposite films containing cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and aluminum oxide nanoparticles (AlO) as reinforcements. The effects of adding nanoparticles on the mechanical properties, such as tensile strength and elongation, were studied using dynamic-mechanical analysis (DMA) such as modulus and tan δ. Also, morphology and thermal features were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), respectively.

Photochemical and electrochemical hydrogen evolution reactivity of lanthanide-functionalized polyoxotungstates.

The first example of hydrogen evolution reactivity (HER) of lanthanide-functionalized Keggin-based polyoxotungstates under photochemical and electrochemical conditions is reported. The HER activity under homogeneous, visible light-driven conditions and under heterogeneous, electrochemical conditions depends on the type of lanthanide functionalization, so that a new class of model HER catalysts for systematic reactivity studies is now accessible.

Suitable chemical methods for preparation of graphene oxide, graphene and surface functionalized graphene nanosheets.

This article presents the suitable chemical method for preparation of graphene oxide nanosheets. In order to examine the effects of HNO3/H2SO4 ratio on interlayer spacing and its comparison, the oxidation of graphite with HNO3 and H2SO4 in 1:2 and 1:3 volume ratios was done. Based on the reaction time and interlayer spacing, it was found that the optimum results were obtained when reaction was carried out with HNO3/H2SO4 in 1:3 volume ratio (using modified Staudenmaier method) for 4 days.

Wood plastic composite using graphene nanoplatelets.

This article presents the preparation and characterization of wood flour/polypropylene (PP) composites filled with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs). The effects of GNPs, as reinforcing agent, on the mechanical and physical properties were also investigated. In order to increase the interphase adhesion, maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) was added as a coupling agent to all the composites studied.