Francis Clegg

A new nano-TiO2 immobilized biodegradable polymer with self-cleaning properties

This study concentrated on the direct immobilization of anatase nano titanium dioxide particles (TiO(2), 10nm particle size) into or onto a biodegradable polymer, polycaprolactone, by solvent-cast processes. The self-cleaning, namely photocatalytic properties of the produced materials were tested by photocatalytic removal of methylene blue as model compound and antimicrobial properties were investigated using Candida albicans as model microorganism. Produced TiO(2) immobilized polymer successfully removed methylene blue (MB, 1 × 10(-5)M) from aqueous solution without additional pH arrangement employing a UV-A light (365 nm) source. Almost 83.2% of dye was removed or decomposed by 5 wt% TiO(2) immobilized into PCL (0.08 g) and removal percentage reached to 94.2% with 5 wt% TiO(2) immobilized onto PCL after a 150 min exposure period. Although removal percentage decrease with increased ionic strength and usage of a visible light source, produced materials were still effective. TiO(2) immobilized onto PCL (5 wt%) was quite effective killing almost 54% of C. albicans (2 × 10(6)CFU/mL) after only 60 min exposure with a near visible light source. Control experiments employing PCL alone in the presence and absence of light were ineffective under the same condition.

Integrated management of ash from industrial and domestic combustion: a new sustainable approach for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from energy conversion

This work supports, for the first time, the integrated management of waste materials arising from industrial processes (fly ash from municipal solid waste incineration and coal fly ash), agriculture (rice husk ash), and domestic activities (ash from wood biomass burning in domestic stoves). The main novelty of the paper is the reuse of wood pellet ash, an underestimated environmental problem, by the application of a new technology (COSMOS-RICE) that already involves the reuse of fly ashes from industrial and agricultural origins. The reaction mechanism involves carbonation: this occurs at room temperature and promotes permanent carbon dioxide sequestration. The obtained samples were characterized using XRD and TGA (coupled with mass spectroscopy). This allowed quantification of the mass loss attributed to different calcium carbonate phases. In particular, samples stabilized using wood pellet ash show a weight loss, attributed to the decomposition of carbonates greater than 20%. In view of these results, it is possible to conclude that there are several environmental benefits from wood pellet ash reuse in this way. In particular, using this technology, it is shown that for wood pellet biomass the carbon dioxide conversion can be considered negative.

Effect of clay type on dispersion and barrier properties of hydrophobically modified poly(vinyl alcohol)–bentonite nanocomposites

The oxygen and water vapor permeability at high relative humidity was studied for composite films formed by incorporation of three different bentonites (MMT) into an ethylene-modified, water-soluble poly(vinyl alcohol), EPVOH. The oxygen permeability decreased linearly with an increased addition of hydrophilic MMTs. X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy suggested a homogeneous distribution in the thickness direction with disordered and probably exfoliated structures for hydrophilic MMTs. In contrast, organophilic modified clay showed an intercalated structure with the clay preferentially located at the lower film surface, a combination which was however efficient in reducing the water vapor- and oxygen permeabilities at low addition levels. Composite films of EPVOH and Na+-exchanged MMT resulted in high resistance to dissolution in water, which was ascribed to strong interactions between the components resulting from matching polarities. Annealing the films at 120°C resulted in enhanced resistance to water dissolution and a further reduction in oxygen permeability

Synergistic and competitive aspects of the adsorption of poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(vinyl alcohol) onto Na-bentonite.

The competitive adsorption of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVOH) onto Na-bentonite has been assessed quantitatively. Particular emphasis was focused on the amount of organic located within the bentonite interlayer and any subsequent effects on the extent of layer expansion. The individual isotherms showed strong adsorption for both PVOH and PEG at amounts lower than the quantities required to produce a fully loaded bilayer (0.33 g of PVOH/g of clay) and single layered structures (0.10 g of PEG/g of clay), respectively. Above these concentrations, the incremental amounts adsorbed were smaller, and the concentration of adsorbates in solution gradually increased. Na-bentonite adsorbed more PVOH than PEG at any given concentration. In the competitive study, the amount of PVOH adsorbed was enhanced in the presence of PEG (0.10 and 0.30 g/g of clay), but less PEG was adsorbed. At low loadings of PVOH (0.02-0.10 g/g of clay), the amount of adsorbed PEG was increased but at higher PVOH levels PEG adsorption was reduced. The XRD data showed stepped changes in the d-spacing as the adsorbed amounts of both PEG and PVOH increased. The PEG-bentonite samples did not expand beyond a bilayer structure (18 Å), but the XRD data for PVOH-treated samples indicated the formation of multilayer structures (d ≥ 44 Å).

FTIR studies on the effect of concentration of polyethylene glycol on polimerization of Shellac

© Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd. In the present paper, it was reported the FTIR studies on the efect of polyethylene glycol on polimerization of shellac. The shellac was shellac waxfree, and the solvent was ethanol 96%. The shellac films were were prepared by solvent- evaporation method. The concentrations of polyethylene glycol having molecular weight of 400 were 10, 30, 60, and 90 w/w %. Three peak intensity bands of C= O stretching of ester at 1709 cm-1, O-H stretching of hydroxyl group at 3400 cm-1, and C-H stretching vibration at 2942 cm-1 were observed and related to polimerization of shellac. It was found that polymerization of shellac was slowed down by polyethyelene glycol, and the degree of polymerization of shellac decreased with increasing the concentration of polyethyelene glycol.

The effect of polyethylene glycol on shellac stability

The effect of polyethylene glycol (PEG) having amolecular weight of 1000 and 2000 on shellac stability has been investigated in this research. The shellac was shellac wax free, and the solvent was ethanol 96%. Shellac films were prepared by solventevaporationmethod. The stability of shellac was investigated using insoluble solid test, Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR), Thermogravimetry Analyzer (TGA), and Water Vapour Transmission Rate (WVTR). The results showed that stability of shellac decreased after heating at 125oC for 10,30,90,and 180 minutes, and storing for 1 month at 27 oC and 85 relative humidity (RH). PEG improved the stability, and the most stable effect was achieved through PEG1000.

Enhanced thermal stability of high-bismuth borate glasses by addition of iron

Abstract Glasses with nominal molar composition 20B2O3 – (80−x)Bi2O3 – xFe2O3 (where x = 0–40) were successfully prepared by melt-quenching. These glasses were characterised by multiple techniques including density, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-Ray fluorescence (XRF), Raman, FT-IR and Mossbauer spectroscopies, dilatometry and differential thermal analysis (DTA). Partial replacement of Bi2O3 by Fe2O3 leads to decreasing density and molar volume and a substantial increase in thermal stability, as measured by several parameters, with maximum improvements achieved when x = 10–20. These improvements are accompanied by modest increases in dilatometric softening point. FT-IR and Raman spectra confirm the presence of BO3 and BiO6 structural units in all glasses, with glass structure apparently little affected by Fe2O3. Mossbauer spectroscopy confirms that iron is present partly as 4-fold coordinated Fe3+ in all glasses, with some 5- and/or 6- coordinated Fe3+ sites also present.

The effect of polyethylene glycol Mw 400 and 600 on stability of Shellac Waxfree

The effect of polyethylene glycol (PEG) having molecular weight of 400 and 600 on stability of shellac waxfree prepared by solvent-evaporation method was reported in the present paper. The stability of shellac was tested by life under heat at 125 °C for 10,30,90, and 180 minutes. It was found that that stability of shellac decreased with heating time at 125 °C. PEG400 gave the most stable effect of shellac for 30 minutes of heating, whereas at 90 minutes and above PEG600 gave the most effect of shellac stability as shown by insoluble solid test and FTIR. The WVTR showed that water vapour barrier properties of PEG600/shellac was beter than that of PEG400/shellac system.