Preparation and characterization of porous membranes of glucomannan and silver decorated cellulose nanocrystals for application as biomaterial.

Bacterial infection usually represents a threat in medical wound care, due to the increase in treatment complexity and the risk of antibiotic resistance. For presenting interesting characteristics for the use as biomaterial, natural polymers have been explored for this application. Among them, a promising candidate is the konjac glucomannan (KGM) with outstanding biocompatibility and biodegradability but lack of antibacterial activity.

Improved antibacterial activity of nanofiltration polysulfone membranes modified with silver nanoparticles.

Polysulfone membranes (PSf) containing silver nanoparticles were prepared by the wet phase-inversion process. Silver nanoparticles (AgNP) were dispersed into the polymer matrix using two different methodologies. In the first one, the AgNP were synthesized and further dispersed into the polymer solution (ex situ process).

Fabrication of transparent and ultraviolet shielding composite films based on graphene oxide and cellulose acetate.

Graphene oxide (GO) has been considered a promising filler material for building polymeric nanocomposites because of its excellent dispersibility and high surface area. In this work, we present the fabrication and characterization of transparent and ultraviolet (UV) shielding composite films based on GO and cellulose acetate (CA). GO sheets were found to be well-dispersed throughout the CA matrix, providing smooth and homogeneous composite films.

Structural and morphological investigations of β-cyclodextrin-coated silver nanoparticles.

This paper describes the synthesis of silver nanoparticles using an aqueous silver nitrate solution in the presence of glucose as a reducing agent, sodium hydroxide as a reaction catalyst and β-CD as a stabilizer. The structure and the morphology associated to the stabilizing layer around the silver nanoparticles were investigated. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the nanoparticle surface modification by β-CD, demonstrating the interaction between the β-CD rim hydroxyl groups and the AgNP surface.

Conductive carbon-clay nanocomposites from petroleum oily sludge.

Oily sludge samples formed in water-oil separation tanks from a petroleum industry were collected, characterized and heat-treated at different temperatures, in order to yield carbon-clay composites. EDX microanalysis, XRD and FTIR data revealed that before carbonization the oily sludge was formed mainly by a mixture of quartz, montmorillonite, calcite, barite and oil residues. After carbonization, mineral phases present were mainly quartz, anorthite and gehlenite, in addition to graphitic and disordered carbon domains, according to XRD, Raman and TEM measurements.