A progressively increasing concern about the environmental impacts of the whole polymer industry has boosted the design of less aggressive technologies that allow for the maximum use of carbon atoms, and reduced dependence on the fossil platform. Progresses related to the former approach are mostly based on the concept of the circular economy, which aims at a thorough use of raw materials, from production to disposal. The latter, however, has been considered a priority nowadays, as short-term biological processes can efficiently provide a myriad of chemicals for the polymer industry. Polymers from renewable resources are widely established in research and technology facilities from all over the world, and a broader consolidation of such materials is expected in a near future. Herein, an up-to-date overview of the most recent and relevant contributions dedicated to the production of monomers and polymers from biomass is presented. We provide some basic issues related to the preparation of polymers from renewable resources to discuss ongoing strategies that can be used to achieve original polymers and systems thereof.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/molecules27010159 | DOI Listing |
Nature
January 2025
Institute for Extra-Cutting-Edge Science and Technology Avant-Garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan.
In subsurface methanogenic ecosystems, the ubiquity of methylated-compound-using archaea-methylotrophic methanogens-implies that methylated compounds have an important role in the ecology and carbon cycling of such habitats. However, the origin of these chemicals remains unclear as there are no known energy metabolisms that generate methylated compounds de novo as a major product. Here we identified an energy metabolism in the subsurface-derived thermophilic anaerobe Zhaonella formicivorans that catalyses the conversion of formate to methanol, thereby producing methanol without requiring methylated compounds as an input.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Biol Macromol
January 2025
School of Resources, Environment and Materials, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; State Key Laboratory of Featured Metal Materials and Life-cycle Safety for Composite Structures, and MOE Key Laboratory of New Processing Technology for Nonferrous Metals and Materials, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China. Electronic address:
Regenerated cellulose is extensively utilized as a natural polymer due to its actually natural piezoelectric properties as well as renewable properties, but suffers from processing difficulties and low piezoelectric constants (d). Consequently, this work focuses on controlling the molecular weight of regenerated cellulose through pretreatment methods that promote the growth of in situ ZnO to enhance its d. Firstly, the acid-catalyzed pulp fibers (PF) and zinc nitrate hexahydrate were added in NaOH/urea solvent to effectively prepare RC/ZnO composite film via regeneration and in-situ growth.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Adv
January 2025
Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Manaus 69060-001, Amazonas, Brazil.
Stable understory microclimates within undisturbed rainforests are often considered refugia against climate change. However, this assumption contrasts with emerging evidence of Neotropical bird population declines in intact rainforests. We assessed the vulnerability of resident rainforest birds to climatic variability, focusing on dry season severity characterized by hotter temperatures and reduced rainfall.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnviron Sci Technol
January 2025
State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China.
Pyrogenic carbons (PCs), with varying structures depending on the materials and thermal treatment conditions, have been extensively used to enhance anaerobic digestion by mediating electron transfer. However, the underlying mechanism has yet to be explored. Herein, the redirection and enhancement of the direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) pathway were evidenced, along with the upregulated electrochemical properties and structural proteins in the methanogenic consortia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Biol Macromol
January 2025
School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. Electronic address:
Lignocellulosic biomass represents one of the most abundant renewable biological resources on earth. Despite its current underutilization as a source of high-value chemicals, it has promising applications in biomedical and other fields. Presently, lignocellulose is predominantly transformed into high-value-added products, e.
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