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Abstract: This study addresses the inherent shortcomings of poly (lactic acid) (PLA), a biodegradable polymer widely used in industries such as packaging and biomedical applications. The principal challenge of PLA resides in its low crystallinity, which detrimentally affects its mechanical properties and thermal stability. Additionally, PLA is prone to water and hydrolysis, which compromises its chemical resistance and can lead to degradation over time. To overcome surmount these limitations, the study focuses on the development of hybrid films through the blending of PLA with poly (l-lactide-co-ethylene adipate) (pLEA) block copolymers. The objective is to augment the crystallinity, mechanical performance, and chemical resistance of the resulting materials. The study employs a range of analytical techniques, including Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Polarised Light Microscopy (PLM), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), to thoroughly characterize the copolymers and blend films. By systematically selecting blending ratios and processing methodologies, the study demonstrates enhancements in the properties of the resultant hybrid films compared to neat PLA. Specifically, the structure of films significantly changed from amorphous to crystalline in a short duration - 5 min, of annealing., leading to better tensile strength, modulus and reduced wettability, which are crucial for applications requiring durability and resistance to environmental factors. Films made from 30 wt% of pLEA 97.5/2.5 with 70 % of PLA by fast cooling exhibited outstanding mechanical properties, with a tensile strength 20 MPa higher than that of neat PLA films. Additionally, the chemical resistance may be improved, as evidenced by a decrease in wettability by approximately 15° and a reduction in the polar component of the surface free energy by about 7 mN/m. Hydrophobic, water-repellent materials resist penetration by water and other polar solvents, reducing exposure to corrosive substances and enhancing chemical resistance through barrier protection. Overall, this research addresses the limitations of PLA through innovative copolymerization and blending strategies, offering valuable insights into optimizing the material's properties for various practical applications.
Keywords: Poly(lactic acid), Poly(l-lactide-co-ethylene adipate), copolymer, blend, crystallinity
Published in DKUM: 13.03.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 7
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Abstract: In this study, the hydrothermal co-carbonization (co-HTC) of residues from the vegetable oil industry (pumpkin oil cake– PC, hemp oil cake– HC) and sewage sludge (SS) was investigated for the first time. The co-HTC was performed at 250 C and atreatment time of 5 h. The effects of the mass ratio of the feedstocks (1:1, 1:3 and 3:1) on the properties of the HTC products were investigated using various analytical methods (NMR, XRD, 3D-EEM, FTIR, etc.). The co-HTC of SS with oil cakes resulted in improved fuel properties of the hydrochar and an increase in C content from 36.9 to 53.7 wt%, and an increase in the higher heating value (HHV) from 14.8 to 23.6 MJ/kg. The combination with HC gave hydrochars with a higher HHV and higher C content than the combination with PC. The hydrochar yield varied in the range of 39.4–55.3 wt%. NMR analysis revealed a higher proportion of aliphatic (~60 %) than aromatic compounds (~35 %) in the hydrochars, as well as a high content of orthophosphate and unsaturated fatty acids. The liquid fractions were rich in nutrients and organic compounds, but toxic to aquatic organisms. The hydrochars and liquid fractions performed well in the germination test with plant species.
Keywords: hydrothermal co-carbonization, sewage sludge, vegetable oil industry residues, hydrochar, liquid fraction, valorisation
Published in DKUM: 17.01.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 10
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Keywords: magnetic nanoparticles, microplastics, nanoplastics, water treatment, removal
Published in DKUM: 22.07.2024; Views: 166; Downloads: 24
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Abstract: Multicoated magnetite (Fe3O4) magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with polyacrylic acid (PAA) as a terminal hydrophilic ligand were synthesized and examined for use as a draw solution (DS) agent in forward osmosis (FO). After coating superparamagnetic iron-oxide MNPs with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) the carboxyl groups of PAA were bound to APTES amino groups via the crosslinker 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide (EDC) forming a peptide bond resulting in stable water-soluble particles (MNP@APTES@PAA) with a concentration-normalised osmotic pressure of 1.56 bar L g−1. The MNP@APTES@PAA solution was evaluated as a DS in two FO filtrations with deionized (DI) water as a feed solution (FS): one using freshly prepared MNP@APTES@PAA and one using magnetically recovered (re-concentrated) MNP@APTES@PAA. The resulting MNP@APTES@PAA nanocomposites exhibit good colloidal stability in aqueous solution with a concentration-normalized osmotic pressure of 1.56 bar L g−1. This is 12-fold higher than that in our previous studies of poly-sodium-acrylate coated MNPs and 3-fold higher than that of citric acid coated MNPs. The water recoveries of the two filtrations were 25.7% and 13.6%, respectively, after 2 h of FO filtration time resulting in a DS osmotic pressure of 2.5 bar with a concentration of 4.3 g L−1 and a DS osmotic pressure of 2.6 with a concentration of 3.7 g L−1 respectively.
Keywords: magnetic nanoparticle, forward osmosis, draw solution, osmose
Published in DKUM: 16.08.2023; Views: 424; Downloads: 14
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