Polymerization of ε-caprolactone with degraded PET for its functionalization

Functionality and characterization of modified starch films with pineapple leaf fibers

The objective of this work was to modify banana starch with pineapple leaf fibers (PALF) and its production of biodegradable films. The reaction conditions of the starch modification were a Starch/PALF mass ratio of 50, a time of 1 h and a temperature of 140 °C, to obtain a yield of 41.18 %. Characterization by FTIR and NMR confirmed that the chemical reaction was carried out. XRD and TGA analysis showed that the crystalline zones of the starch were affected during the modification and the product obtained is thermally less stable compared to unmodified starch. The modified starch showed a lower pasting profile compared to the native starch; however, the modified starch showed the ability to form a film. The starch-PALF films were obtained by the casting method and partially characterized. These films presented better mechanical properties compared to the unmodified films. Also, these films could compete with conventional non-biodegradable plastics.

Multifaceted potential applicability of hydrotalcite-type anionic clays from green chemistry to environmental sustainability

Hydrotalcite-like anionic clays (HTs) also known as Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have been developed as multifunctional materials in numerous applications related to catalysis, adsorption, and ion-exchange processes. These materials constitute an important class of ionic lamellar solid clays of Brucite-like structure which comprise of consecutive layers of divalent and trivalent metal cations with charge balancing anions and water molecules in interlayer space. These materials have received increasing attention in research due to their interesting properties namely layered structure, ease of preparation, flexible tunability, ability to intercalate different types of anions, electronic properties, high thermal stability, high biocompatibility, and easy biodegradation. Moreover, HTs/LDHs have unique tailorable and tuneable characteristics such as both acidic and basic sites, anion exchange capability, surface area, basal spacing, memory effect, and also exhibit high exchange capacities, which makes them versatile materials for a wide range of applications and extended their horizons to diverse areas of science and technology. This study enlightens the various rational researches related to the synthetic methods and features focusing on synthesis and/or fabrication with other hybrids and their applications. The diverse applications (namely catalyst, adsorbent to toxic chemicals, agrochemicals management, non-toxic flame retardants, and recycling of plastics) of these multifunctional materials related to a clean and sustainable environment were also summarized.

Modification of banana starch (Musa paradisiaca L.) with polyethylene terephthalate: Virgin and bottle waste

Chemical modification of banana starch (Musa paradisiaca L.) with the degradation products of virgin and bottle waste of polyethylene terephthalate was carried out in situ. The modified starch was characterized by FTIR and NMR, which allowed proposing three chemical structures. SEM micrographs showed that the morphology of the modified starch granule is directly related with mass ratio of Starch/PET and type of PET used in the reaction. The crystallinity of the modified starch decreased up to 92.6% and 62.5% using bottle waste and virgin PET, respectively, according to XRD diffractograms. TGA analysis showed that the starch degradation temperature decreased by 12 °C. Modified starch films were elaborate and its electrical conductivity was found to be 2.9 times compared to that of native starch. The starch/PET film presented the highest value in the mechanical property of elongation at break compared to the starch-only film. The modified starch film was degraded above 80% by aqueous hydrolysis.