Elucidating the modes of incorporation of the ferulic acid amides feruloyltyramine and feruloyloctopamine into the lignin-suberin fraction of potato periderms

Ferulic acid amides are naturally present in the cell walls of potato (Solanum tuberosum) periderms. In this study, we investigated their modes of incorporation into the periderm cell wall polymers. A lignin/suberin-enriched fraction was isolated and analyzed by GPC, DFRC, and 2D-NMR. The analyses revealed that the lignin domain of this fraction was predominantly composed…

Processability and properties of cubic-BaTiO3/poly(vinylidene fluoride) composites for additive manufacturing: From powder compounding to 3D-printed parts

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) is a piezoelectric and thermoplastic material with great potential for additive manufacturing (AM) applications. Using barium titanate (BaTiO3) as filler, PVDF-based composite materials were developed, characterized, and processed by AM material extrusion (MEX). The morphological features and phase transformations occurring throughout the processing of BaTiO3-filled PVDF, from the compounding to the printed…

Bio-aromatics: Revolutionizing the integrated biomass and plastic waste valorization for high-value aromatic hydrocarbons via bifunctional catalytic pathways of bio-syngas conversion

Aromatic hydrocarbons play a pivotal role in various industrial applications, serving as essential building blocks to produce polymers, resins, and specialty chemicals. Traditionally, their synthesis has been reliant on fossil fuels, raising concerns about environmental sustainability and resource depletion. However, recent advancements in the field have paved the way for a paradigm shift, with a…

Unveiling the Potential of a Cobalt-Based Metal-Organic Framework in Carbodiimide Synthesis

The synthesis of carbodiimides via nitrene transfer to isocyanides has garnered significant attention in recent years. However, this reaction predominantly relies on homogeneous catalytic systems with high catalyst loadings. In this study, we employed ZIF-67 MOF as a heterogeneous catalyst for carbodiimide synthesis and conducted an in-depth analysis of its stability. Our findings reveal the…

Phase dependence of the thermal memory effect in polycrystalline ribbon and bulk Ni55Fe19Ga26 Heusler alloys

The thermal memory effect, TME, has been studied in Ni55Fe19Ga26 shape memory alloys, fabricated as ribbons via melt-spinning and as pellets via arc-melting, to evaluate its dependence on the martensitic structure and the macrostructure of the samples. When the reverse martensitic transformation is interrupted, a kinetic delay in the subsequent complete transformation is only evident in…

Plasticized cellulose bioplastics with beeswax for the fabrication of multifunctional, biodegradable active food packaging

Plasticized cellulose bioplastics with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties were prepared by blending cellulose and glycerol in a mixture of trifluoroacetic acid and trifluoroacetic anhydride, adding a solution of beeswax in chloroform, and subsequent drop-casting. Optical, chemical, structural, mechanical, thermal, and hydrodynamic properties were fully characterized. In addition, the biodegradability in seawater was investigated by determination…

Valorisation of rice husk ash as an activator in the preparation of alkali-activated cements based on electric arc furnace slag

Rice husk ash (RHA) was employed as a silica source to produce an alternative sodium silicate solution through the dissolution of varying quantities of RHA in an 8 M NaOH solution. The solution was employed in the production of alkali-activated cements based on electric arc furnace slag (EAFS). Solutions were prepared with varying activator modules…

Atomic-Scale Modeling of Water and Ice Behavior on Vibrating Surfaces: Toward the Design of Surface Acoustic Wave Anti-icing and Deicing Systems

Within these studies, atomic-scale molecular dynamics simulations have been performed to analyze the behavior of water droplets and ice clusters on hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces subjected to high-frequency vibrations. The methodology applied herewith aimed at understanding the phenomena governing the anti-icing and deicing process enabled by surface acoustic waves (SAWs). The complex wave propagation was…