Swapnil Shukla

Naturally occurring phenolic sources: monomers and polymers

Exploration of sustainable alternatives to chemicals derived from petro-based industries is the current challenge for maintaining the balance between the needs of a changing world while preserving nature. The major source for sustainable chemicals is either the natural existing plant sources or waste generated from agro-based industries. The utility of such resources will supplement new processed materials with different sets of properties and environmental friendliness due to their biodegradability and low toxicity during preparation, usage and disposal. Amongst other polymers used on a day-to-day basis, phenolic resins account for vast usage. Replacement of petro-based monomers such as phenol and its derivatives either partly or completely utilized for the synthesis of such resins is ongoing. Extraction of natural phenolic components from cashew nut shell liquid, lignin, tannin, palm oil, coconut shell tar or from agricultural and industrial waste, and their utilization as synthons for the preparation of bio-based polymers and properties obtained are reviewed in this paper. This review article is designed to acknowledge efforts of researchers towards the “3C” motto – not only trying to create but also adapting the principles to conserve and care for a sustainable environment. This review paper describes how extraction, separation and recovery of desired phenolic compounds have occurred recently; how substituted phenol compounds, unmodified and modified, act as monomers for polymerization; and how the presence of sustainable phenolic material affects the properties of polymers. There are about 600 references cited and still there is a lot to uncover in this research area.

Sustainable Sulfur-rich Copolymer/Graphene Composite as Lithium-Sulfur Battery Cathode with Excellent Electrochemical Performance

A sulfur-rich copolymer, poly(S-r-C-a) has been synthesized via a sustainable route, showing the utility of two major industrial wastes- elemental sulfur (petroleum waste) and cardanol (agro waste), to explore its potential as cathode material for Li-S batteries. The sulfur-rich copolymer exhibited a reduction in the active material dissolution into the electrolyte and a low self-discharge rate behavior during the rest time compared to an elemental sulfur cathode, indicating the chemical confinement of sulfur units. The presence of organosulfur moieties in copolymer suppress the irreversible deposition of end-discharge products on electrode surfaces and thus improve the electrochemical performances of Li-S batteries. This sulfur copolymer offered a reversible capacity of 892 mA h g−1 at 2nd cycle and maintained the capacity of 528 mA h g−1 after 50 cycles at 200 mA g−1. Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) prepared via a sustainable route was used as a conductive filler to extract the better electrochemical performances from this sulfur copolymer. Such sustainable origin batteries prepared via economically viable showed an improved specific capacity of ~975 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles at 200 mA g−1 current rate with capacity fading of 0.15% per cycle and maintained a stable performance over 500 cycles at 2000 mA g−1.

Cardanol benzoxazines – interplay of oxazine functionality (mono to tetra) and properties

Cardanol, a sustainable origin phenol, was utilized as a reactive diluent to mediate solventless Mannich-type condensation reaction with para-formaldehyde and primary aromatic amines to form a homologous series of benzoxazine (Bz) monomers namely C-a, C-ddm, C-trisapm and C-tetraapm which differ in their degree of oxazine functionality as mono-, di-, tri- and tetra-oxazine respectively. A strong correlation is reflected between the number of oxazine rings in the monomer and the polymerization behavior, thermo-mechanical transitions, and properties of the polybenzoxazine synthesized. The monomer structure was confirmed by FTIR, 1H-, 13C-NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The curing, rheological, thermo-mechanical and thermal properties were determined using DSC, FTIR, rheometer, DMTA, LSS and TGA studies. The curing characteristic due to ROP of Bz monomers was supported both by DSC and FTIR studies. The presence of neighboring oxazine group in monomers (C-a to C-tetraapm) strongly attenuates the curing temperature (Ti = 225–140 °C), enhances Tg, thermal stability, and mechanical properties. Interestingly, DFT calculations also supported the lowest curing temperature for highest oxazine functionality monomer (C-tetraapm). The interplay between the degree of oxazine functionality in the monomer; extent of H-bonding and crosslink density values in sustainable origin synthesized polybenzoxazines is suggested. The thermoset showed an increasing trend (PC-a < PC-ddm < PC-trisapm < PC-tetraapm) in Tg (58–109 °C), thermal stability (355–391 °C), char yield (13–37%), LOI (23–31) and storage modulus (3.6–66.5 MPa) values. The monomers are liquid to semi-viscous paste at room temperature and showed potential for solventless processing in adhesive applications.

Graphene Oxide-Coated Surface: Inhibition of Bacterial Biofilm Formation due to Specific Surface–Interface Interactions

Graphene oxide (GO) is a promising and remarkable nanomaterial that exhibits antimicrobial activity due to its specific surface–interface interactions. In the present work, for the first time, we have reported the antibacterial activity of GO-coated surfaces prepared by two different methods (Hummers’ and improved, i.e., GOH and GOI) against bacterial biofilm formation. The bacterial toxicity of the deposited GO-coated surfaces was investigated for both Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) models of bacteria. The mechanism of inhibition is different on the coated surface than that in suspension, as determined by measurement of the percentage inhibition of biofilm formation, Ellman’s assay, and colony forming unit (CFU) studies. The difference in the nature, degree of oxidative functionalities, and size of the synthesized GO nanoparticles mitigates biofilm formation. To better understand the antimicrobial mechanism of GO when coated on surfaces, we were able to demonstrate that beside reactive oxygen species-mediated oxidative stress, the physical properties of the GO-coated substrate effectively inactivate bacterial cell proliferation, which forms biofilms. Light and atomic force microscopy (AFM) images display a higher inhibition in the proliferation of planktonic cells in Gram-negative bacteria as compared to that in Gram-positive bacteria. The existence of a smooth surface with fewer porous domains in GOI inhibits biofilm formation, as demonstrated by optical microscopy and AFM images. The oxidative stress was found to be lower in the coated surface as compared to that in the suspensions as the latter enables exposure of both a large fraction of the active edges and functionalities of the GO sheets. In suspension, GOH is selective against S. aureus whereas GOI showed inhibition toward E. coli. This study provides new insights to better understand the bactericidal activity of GO-coated surfaces and contributes to the design of graphene-based antimicrobial surface coatings, which will be valuable in biomedical applications.

Benzoxazine derivatives of phytophenols show anti-plasmodial activity via sodium homeostasis disruption

Development of new class of anti-malarial drugs is an essential requirement for the elimination of malaria. Bioactive components present in medicinal plants and their chemically modified derivatives could be a way forward towards the discovery of effective anti-malarial drugs. Herein, we describe a new class of compounds, 1,3-benzoxazine derivatives of pharmacologically active phytophenols eugenol (compound 3) and isoeugenol (compound 4) synthesised on the principles of green chemistry, as anti-malarials. Compound 4, showed highest anti-malarial activity with no cytotoxicity towards mammalian cells. Compound 4 induced alterations in the intracellular Na+ levels and mitochondrial depolarisation in intraerythrocytic Plasmodium falciparum leading to cell death. Knowing P-type cation ATPase PfATP4 is a regulator for sodium homeostasis, binding of compound 3, compound 4 and eugenol to PfATP4 was analysed by molecular docking studies. Compounds showed binding to the catalytic pocket of PfATP4, however compound 4 showed stronger binding due to the presence of propylene functionality, which corroborates its higher anti-malarial activity. Furthermore, anti-malarial half maximal effective concentration of compound 4 was reduced to 490 nM from 17.54 µM with nanomaterial graphene oxide. Altogether, this study presents anti-plasmodial potential of benzoxazine derivatives of phytophenols and establishes disruption of parasite sodium homeostasis as their mechanism of action.

Chapter 24 – Cardanol-Based Benzoxazines and Their Applications

This chapter explores the utility of cardanol as a potential feedstock for the synthesis of benzoxazine monomers and polymers. Cardanol is a renewable phenolic compound obtained from the plant Anacardium occidentale L. Commercially it is produced as cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) as a byproduct of cashew nut processing. It is currently under exploration as a valuable phenolic reagent in benzoxazine monomers and polymers. Cardanol-based benzoxazines are attractive monomers due to their sustainable aspect, opportunities for solventless synthesis, and processing. To date, Cardanol monomers have primarily been utilized for adhesive and composite applications, but they are ideal candidates for a variety of other applications, which need further exploration.