Sprayed water-based lignin colloidal nanoparticle-cellulose nanofibril hybrid films with UV-blocking ability.

In the context of global climate change, the demand for new functional materials that are sustainable and environmentally friendly is rapidly increasing. Cellulose and lignin are the two most abundant raw materials in nature, and are ideal components for functional materials. The hydrophilic interface and easy film-forming properties of cellulose nanofibrils make them excellent candidates for natural biopolymer templates and network structures.

Ru-catalyzed activation of free phenols in a one-step Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling under mechanochemical conditions.

Activation of phenols by a Ru-catalyst allows for the resulting η-phenoxo complex to selectively react with a variety of nucleophiles under mechanochemical conditions. Conversion of phenolic hydroxy groups without derivatization is important for late-stage modifications of pharmaceuticals and in the context of lignin-material processing. We present a one-step, Ru-catalyzed cross-coupling of phenols with boronic acids, aryl trialkoxysilanes and potassium benzoyltrifluoroborates under mechano-chemical conditions.

Mechanochemical synthesis of aromatic ketones: pyrylium tetrafluoroborate mediated deaminative arylation of amides.

A new method has been introduced that is able to tackle the complexities of N-C(O) activation in amide moieties through utilization of pyrylium tetrafluoroborate in a mechanochemical setting, where amide bonds undergo activation and subsequent conversion to biaryl ketones. Due to the employment of a mechanochemical setting, the reaction conforms to green chemistry principles, offering an environmentally friendly approach to traditional amide derivatization techniques that rely on transition metals to achieve further functionalization.

Lignin beyond the : recent and emerging composite applications.

The demand for biodegradable materials across various industries has recently surged due to environmental concerns and the need for the adoption of renewable materials. In this context, lignin has emerged as a promising alternative, garnering significant attention as a biogenic resource that endows functional properties. This is primarily ascribed to its remarkable origin and structure that explains lignin's capacity to bind other molecules, reinforce composites, act as an antioxidant, and endow antimicrobial effects.

Molecular understanding of the morphology and properties of lignin nanoparticles: unravelling the potential for tailored applications.

Studies have shown that the size of LNP depends on the molecular weight () of lignin. There is however need for deeper understanding on the role of molecular structure on LNP formation and its properties, in order to build a solid foundation on structure-property relationships. In this study, we show, for similar lignins, that the size and morphology of LNPs depends on the molecular structure of the lignin macromolecule.

Microwave Assisted Selective Hydrolysis of Polyamides from Multicomponent Carpet Waste.

Selective hydrolysis of polyamide-6 (PA-6) and polyamide-66 (PA-66) from commercial multicomponent PA-6/PA-66/polypropylene (PP) carpet is demonstrated by a microwave-assisted acid catalyzed hydrothermal process, yielding monomeric products and solid polypropylene residue. First, an effective method is established to chemically recycle neat PA-6 and PA-66 granules using microwave irradiation. The optimized, hydrochloric acid (HCl) catalyzed process leads to selective production of monomers, 6-aminocaproic acid or adipic acid and hexamethylenediamine, after only 30 min.

Hydrophobization of cellulose oxalate using oleic acid in a catalyst-free esterification suitable for preparing reinforcement in polymeric composites.

It is common practice to use cellulose as reinforcement and fatty acid as compatibilizer in the preparation of polymeric composites. However, the used catalysts (e.g.

Influence of Cellulose Charge on Bacteria Adhesion and Viability to PVAm/CNF/PVAm-Modified Cellulose Model Surfaces.

A contact-active antibacterial approach based on the physical adsorption of a cationic polyelectrolyte onto the surface of a cellulose material is today regarded as an environment-friendly way of creating antibacterial surfaces and materials. In this approach, the electrostatic charge of the treated surfaces is considered to be an important factor for the level of bacteria adsorption and deactivation/killing of the bacteria. In order to clarify the influence of surface charge density of the cellulose on bacteria adsorption as well as on their viability, bacteria were adsorbed onto cellulose model surfaces, which were modified by physically adsorbed cationic polyelectrolytes to create surfaces with different positive charge densities.

Novel sustainable synthesis of vinyl ether ester building blocks, directly from carboxylic acids and the corresponding hydroxyl vinyl ether, and their photopolymerization.

Increased environmental awareness has led to a demand for sustainable, bio-based materials. Consequently, the development of new benign synthesis pathways utilizing a minimum of reaction steps and available bio-based building blocks is needed. In the present study, vinyl ether alcohols and functional carboxylic acids were used to synthesize bifunctional vinyl ether esters using the immobilized enzyme lipase B as a catalyst.