Effect of Nanosilica and Titania on Thermal Stability of Polypropylene/Oil Palm Empty Fruit Fibre Composite

Degradation of polypropylene (PP) composites at elevated temperature for prolonged period has shortened the lifetime of PP composites. Thus, variety of fillers has been incorporated into PP matrix to improve thermal degradation stability. The effects of titania and nanosilica in PP reinforced with oil palm empty fruit bunch fibres (EFB) were investigated in this study. Mechanical properties of the samples were determined before and after thermal ageing. Morphology of the composite with varies fillers composition were analyzed using scanning electron microscope. The introduction of nanosilica into PP/EFB composite filled with titania has increased both the melting and glass transition temperature of PP. Chain splitting in molecular chains reduced with the incorporation of nanosilica and titania into PP and PP/FEB composites. The TGA study has showed that the addition of nanosilica has further enhanced the thermal stability effect of titania in PP/EFB composite. However, both the Izod impact strength and tensile strength of the composite reduced greatly after 20 days of thermal ageing

Effect of TEMPO-oxidization and rapid cooling on thermo-structural properties of nanocellulose

Recently, surface functionality and thermal property of the green nanomaterials have received wide attention in numerous applications. In this study, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was used to prepare the nanocrystalline celluloses (NCCs) using acid hydrolysis method. The NCCs was treated with TEMPO [(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxy radical]-oxidation to prepare TEMPO-oxidized NCCs. Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) also prepared from MCC using TEMPO-oxidation. The effects of rapid cooling and chemical treatments on the thermo-structural property studies of the prepared nanocelluloses were investigated through FTIR, thermogravimetric analysis-derivative thermogravimetric (TGA-DTG), and XRD. A posteriori knowledge of the FTIR and TGA-DTG analysis revealed that the rapid cooling treatment enhanced the hydrogen bond energy and thermal stability of the TEMPO-oxidized NCC compared to other nanocelluloses. XRD analysis exhibits the effect of rapid cooling on pseudo 2I helical conformation. This was the first investigation performed on the effect of rapid cooling on structural properties of the nanocellulose

A review of natural fiber reinforced poly(Vinyl alcohol) based composites: application and opportunity

Natural fibers are fine examples of renewable resources that play an important role in the composites industry, which produces superior strength comparable to synthetic fibers. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) composites in particular have attracted enormous interest in view of their satisfactory performance, properties and biodegradability. Their performance in many applications such as consumer, biomedical, and agriculture is well defined and promising. This paper reviews the utilization of natural fibers from macro to nanoscale as reinforcement in PVA composites. An overview on the properties, processing methods, biodegradability, and applications of these composites is presented. The advantages arising from chemical and physical modifications of fibers or composites are discussed in terms of improved properties and performance. In addition, proper arrangement of nanocellulose in composites helps to prevent agglomeration and results in a better dispersion. The limitations and challenges of the composites and future works of these bio-composites are also discussed. This review concludes that PVA composites have potential for use in numerous applications. However, issues on technological feasibility, environmental effectiveness, and economic affordability should be considered

Effect of Nanosilica Filled Polyurethane Composite Coating on Polypropylene Substrate

Acrylic based polyurethane (PU) coatings with various amounts of nanosilica contents were prepared using solution casting method. The nanosilica (SiO2) particles used are around 16 nm in diameter. The friction and wear test was conducted using the reciprocating wear testing machine. The tests were performed at rotary speed of 100 rpm and 200 rpm with load of 0.1 kg to 0.4 kg under 1 N interval. The effect of the PU/nano-SiO2 composite coating on friction and wear behavior of polypropylene substrate was investigated and compared. The worn surface of coating film layer after testing was investigated by using an optical microscope. The introduction of PU/nanosilica composite coating containing 3 wt% of nano-SiO2 content gives the lowest friction coefficient and wear rate to PP substrate. Both the friction and wear rate of PP substrate coated with >3 wt% of nano-SiO2 filled PU coating would increase with the increasing of applied load and sliding time

Biomedical and microbiological applications of bio-based porous materials: a review

Extensive employment of biomaterials in the areas of biomedical and microbiological applications is considered to be of prime importance. As expected, oil based polymer materials were gradually replaced by natural or synthetic biopolymers due to their well-known intrinsic characteristics such as biodegradability, non-toxicity and biocompatibility. Literature on this subject was found to be expanding, especially in the areas of biomedical and microbiological applications. Introduction of porosity into a biomaterial broadens the scope of applications. In addition, increased porosity can have a beneficial effect for the applications which exploit their exceptional ability of loading, retaining and releasing of fluids. Different applications require a unique set of pore characteristics in the biopolymer matrix. Various pore morphologies have different characteristics and contribute different performances to the biopolymer matrix. Fabrication methods for bio-based porous materials more related to the choice of material. By choosing the appropriate combination of fabrication technique and biomaterial employment, one can obtain tunable pore characteristic to fulfill the requirements of desired application. In our previous review, we described the literature related to biopolymers and fabrication techniques of porous materials. This paper we will focus on the biomedical and microbiological applications of bio-based porous materials

Rheological properties of cellulose nanocrystal-embedded polymer composites: a review

Nanotechnology provides useful insights into the behavioural properties of materials from the nanoscale point of view, enabling researchers to develop new materials that were previously inconceivable. Cellulose is an ideal candidate for nanomaterial for nanotechnology because of its nanofibrillar structure, abundance, renewability, biodegradability and eco-friendly nature. Nanocrystalline cellulose materials have become the focus many studies related to these materials and their applications. This review summarises the current knowledge on the field of nanomaterials, focussing mainly on the rheological behaviour of polymer nanocomposites embedded with nanocrystalline cellulose. This review will enable better understanding of the use of nanocrystalline cellulose for the development and applications of cellulose nanocrystal-based nanocomposites

Influence of Annealing on Properties of Spray Deposited ZnO Thin Films

Zinc Oxide (ZnO) thin films were deposited on glass substrates via the spray pyrolysis technique. The films were subsequently annealed in ambient air from 300°C to 500°C. The morphology and structural properties of the thin films were studied by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray diffractometry (XRD) techniques. Electrical resistivity of the thin films was measured using a data acquisition unit. The optical properties of the films were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) technique. X-ray diffraction data showed that the films were grown in the (002) direction with a hexagonal wurtzite structure. The average grain size ranged from 15 to 27 nm. Increasing annealing temperatures resulted in larger grain sizes and higher crystallinity, with the surface roughness of annealed films being more than twice if compared to unannealed film. The electrical resistivity of the films decreased with the increasing annealing temperature. The UV and visible band emissions were observed in the photoluminescence spectra, due to exciton and defect-related emissions, respectively. The transmission values of the films were as high as 90% within the visible range (400–700 nm)

Removal of fluoride using quaternized palm kernel shell as adsorbents: equilibrium isotherms and kinetics studies

Palm kernel shell (PKS) core fibers, an agricultural waste, were chemically modified using N-(3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl) trimethylammonium chloride (CHMAC) as a quaternizing agent. The potential of quaternized palm kernel shell (QPKS) as an adsorbent for fluoride in an aqueous solution was then studied. The quaternized palm kernel shell (QPKS) core fibers were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The effect of various factors on the fluoride sequestration was also investigated. The results showed that with an increase in the adsorbent amount and contact time, the efficiency of fluoride removal was improved. The maximum fluoride uptake was obtained at pH 3 and a contact time of 4 h. The adsorption behavior was further investigated using equilibrium isotherms and kinetics studies. The results from these studies fit well into Freundlich, Redlich-Peterson, and Sips isotherm’s with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9716. The maximum fluoride removal was 63%. For kinetics studies, the pseudo-second order was the best fit for fluoride, with an R2 of 0.999. These results suggest that QPKS has the potential to serve as a low-cost adsorbent for fluoride removal from aqueous solutions

Synergistic effect of (3-Aminopropyl)Trimethoxysilane treated ZnO and corundum nanoparticles under UV-irradiation on UV-cutoff and IR-absorption spectra of acrylic polyurethane based nanocomposite coating

ZnO and corundum (α–Al2O3) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by aqueous precipitation and sintering techniques respectively. ZnO nanoparticles were effectively coated with (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane (APTMS) by polycondensation method to prevent the photocatalytic activity of ZnO during a UV-weathering study. X-ray diffractogram and FTIR were used to confirm the crystalline structure of as prepared nanoparticles, blue shift of the Alsingle bondO bond and the formation of a secondary amine via polycondensation of APTMS over ZnO surface. The prepared APTMS-ZnO, corundum and commercially available surface modified hydrophobic SiO2 (M − SiO2) nanoparticles were used to prepare the acrylic polyurethane (AP: Poly-Macrynal® SM 510 N coating resign) bases nanocomposite coating on a polyurethane substrate. Individual and mixed nanoparticles were dispersed into acrylic polyurethane to prepare the coating layer on polyurethane film substrate separately. IR-active and UV–visible regions of the FTIR and UV–Vis spectroscopies were used to investigate the synergistic effect of the nanoparticles on a selected range of the radiative spectrum, especially the UV-resistant and IR-absorption properties of the coated films with and without exposure of UV-irradiations. Polyurethane substrate coated with APTMS-ZnO (2 wt%) based acrylic polyurethane-based nanocomposite coating (APUC) layer containing 2 wt% corundum (D50) and 6 wt% M − SiO2 (F50) exhibited 98.77% and 97.60% of UV-resistant property respectively. These results indicate that the visible light transparency and transmittance ability reduced significantly after 500 h of UV-irradiation exposure. Both of the activity and deformation have great impact on the IR-absorption property of the APUC

Curcumin/Tween 20-incorporated cellulose nanoparticles with enhanced curcumin solubility for nano-drug delivery: characterization and in vitro evaluation

A poorly water-soluble anticancer drug, curcumin was loaded into cellulose nanocrystals by dissolving it in a commonly used nonionic surfactant medium. Results showed that the drug loading capacity of nanocellulose increased with increasing the surfactant concentration of the medium. The drug loading capacity of nanocellulose in surfactant medium was significantly higher (7.73 mg/g) when compared to the drug loading capacity (3.35 mg/g) in methanolic medium. The nanocellulose drug loaded in surfactant medium (TW/CNC) showed higher drug release compared to the nanocellulose drug loaded in methanolic medium (METH/CNC). It was 8.99 mg/L for TW/CNC and 2.65 mg/L for METH/CNC in simulated gastric fluid. Due to the increased stability of curcumin in acidic medium, all the nanoparticles showed higher drug release in simulated gastric fluid compared to phosphate buffered saline solution. The maximum dissolution of curcumin was 2.13 mg/mL in distilled water containing 4% (w/v) of surfactant. UV–visible spectra revealed that the curcumin retained its chemical activity after in vitro release. From these findings, it is believed that the incorporation of curcumin into nanocellulose in surfactant medium provides a promising approach for delivery of curcumin to stomach and upper intestinal tract