Synthesis and Characterization of a Multifunctional Sustained-Release Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Microcapsule with Self-Healing and Flame-Retardancy Properties

Multifunctional coatings fabricated from Chinese hemp-derived superhydrophobic micro-nanocellulose

Ecologically feasible strategies for constructing superhydrophobic surfaces offer versatile applications in waterproofing, self-cleaning, selective absorption, and corrosion protection. Herein, we prepared low-surface-energy branched-chain-enriched micronanorod (F@SiO2@MNC) by hydrolyzing silane coupling agent and modifying fluoropolymer using micro-nanocellulose extracted from waste straw (Chinese hemp). These rods were sprayed and adhered to various substrates precoated with a binder, resulting in superhydrophobic surfaces. F@SiO2@MNC addition allowed for the formation of stable spherical liquid droplets when in contact with different types of aqueous liquids. Furthermore, these surfaces demonstrated excellent self-cleaning, robustness, abrasion resistance, UV resistance, cycling stability, and other multifunctionalities. They significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of filter paper, effectively separated oil water mixtures, and improved the corrosion resistance of metals. Our proposed strategy represents a novel approach for developing multifunctional coatings assembled from micronanocellulose.

Dual-Shell Microcapsules for High-Response Efficiency Self-Healing of Multi-Scale Damage in Waterborne Polymer-Cement Coatings

Waterborne polymer-cement coatings have been widely applied in building materials due to their organic solvent-free nature, low cost, and eco-friendliness. However, these coatings can easily crack during the drying process as a result of construction environment factors, compromising the barrier performance of the coating and limiting its large-scale application. In this study, a dual-shell self-healing microcapsule was developed, which can effectively heal damage on a macro scale in waterborne polymer-cement coatings. Specifically, this dual-shell self-healing microcapsule was designed with a silica gel shell and a tannic acid-cuprum (TA-Cu) double-shell structure embedded with an epoxy resin (EP) healing agent, which was successfully fabricated via a two-step in situ polymerization. This silica gel shell self-healing microcapsules can effectively load into waterborne polymer-cement coatings. As the coating dries and solidifies, the silica gel shell of the microcapsule also becomes loose and brittle due to dehydration. This improves the mechanical initiation efficiency of the microcapsules in the coating. This study provides a novel approach for the application of self-healing microcapsules in waterborne coating systems, which can significantly reduce cracking during the drying process of waterborne polymer-cement coatings and improve the service life of the coating under complex conditions.

Novel antimicrobial and self-healing dental resin to combat secondary caries and restoration fracture

OBJECTIVE

Dental resin composites have been the most popular materials for repairing tooth decay in recent years. However, secondary caries and bulk fracture are the major hurdles that affect the lifetime of dental resin composites. This current study synthesized a novel antimicrobial and self-healing dental resin containing nanoparticle-modified self-healing microcapsules to combat secondary caries and restoration fracture.

METHODS

Multifunctional dental resins containing 0-20% nanoparticle-modified self-healing microcapsules were prepared. The water contact angle, antimicrobial properties, mechanical properties, cell toxicity, and self-healing capability of the dental resins were tested.

RESULTS

A novel multifunctional dental resin was synthesized. When the microcapsule mass fraction was 10%, the resin presented a strong bacteriostasis rate (80.3%) and excellent self-healing efficiency (66.1%), while the hydrophilicity, mechanical properties, and cell toxicity were not affected.

SIGNIFICANCE

The novel antimicrobial self-healing dental resin is a promising candidate for use in clinical practice, which provides a simple and highly efficient strategy to combat secondary caries and restoration fracture. This novel dental resin also gives the inspiration to prolong the service life of dental restorations.

Biobased Intelligent Food-Packaging Materials with Sustained-Release Antibacterial and Real-Time Monitoring Ability

It has been widely accepted that sustainable polymers derived from renewable resources are able to replace the short-turnover petroleum-based materials and reduce environmental impact in the future. However, their hydrophilic chemical structures rich with oxygen groups could lead to easy growth of bacteria, which greatly limit their applications in packaging materials. Here, we present an intelligent food-packaging material with sustained-release antibacterial and real-time monitoring ability based on totally biobased contents. In detail, sodium alginate with Artemisia argyi emission oil (encapsulated in gelatin-Arabic gum microcapsules) and citric acid-sourced pH-responsive carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are coated on bamboo cellulose papers. The obtained biobased composite material (almost 100% biocarbon content) with antibacterial ability is able to extend the shelf life of fresh shrimps and can be biodegraded. Moreover, owing to the introduction of CQDs, the composite can rapidly (within 1 s) detect slight pH variations (response pH ∼5, 10-9 mol/L of OH-) through an obvious color change (hue value from 305 to 355°). The developed strategy may open up new opportunities in the design of multifunctional biobased composites for intelligent applications.

Pollution and occupational protection of diesel particulate matter in underground space

To address the diesel particulate matter pollution problem at the 12,306 continuous mining face of Shangwan coal mine, the spatial and temporal evolution law of diesel particulate matter generated at the three locations of the shuttle car head tunnel, contact alley, and support tunnel under the pressure-in ventilation condition of the double lane of the continuous mining face was studied by numerical simulation. The results show that the highest diesel particulate matter concentration at the shuttle car discharge is about 144.17 mg/m³, which seriously affects the health of miners. The highest diesel particulate matter concentration at the shuttle car tunnel is 52.58 mg/m³, and at the contact alley, the diesel particulate matter diffusion space is limited by the compression of the space inside the contact alley by the shuttle car machine body and the alley wall, which makes the diesel particulate matter accumulate here, forming a high diesel particulate matter concentration distribution area with a concentration value of 112.75 mg/m³. When supporting the roadway at the shuttle, diesel particulate matter accumulates in the range of X = 55 m ~ 60 m, Y = 0 m ~ 4 m, and Z = 23.4 m ~ 29.4 m. According to the degree of DPM pollution in different areas, different individual protective equipment is used to obtain different levels of pollution protection.

Fir sawdust as a low-cost and easily recyclable adsorbent: efficient removal of Pb(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) contaminants from wastewater

The main pollution sources of heavy metals are the arbitrary discharge of industrial wastewater and waste residues, which cause serious harm to the water environment, soil environment, and human health. In this study, following the principle of waste utilization, a gel adsorbent (AA-SW-AMPS) was prepared by microwave-assisted chemical cross-linking using fir sawdust as raw material. A scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and swelling dynamic experiments were used to investigate the microstructure, reaction mechanism, and water absorption performance of AA-SW-AMPS. The N₂ adsorption-desorption curve shows that the porous structure of AA-SW-AMPS creates 240.75 cm²/g of specific surface area to enable excellent heavy-metal sorption. It was determined by adsorption experiments that the optimal adsorption state was when the dosage of AA-SW-AMPS was 5 g/L, the pH of the solution was 5, the adsorption time was 45 min, and the initial heavy metal ion concentration was 250 mg/L. In addition, the adsorption mechanism was investigated using adsorption dynamics, adsorption isotherm, and Materials Studio simulation. The results show that the maximum adsorption capacities of AA-SW-AMPS for Pb(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) were 253.49 mg/g, 237.29 mg/g, and 232.15 mg/g, respectively, and the adsorption mechanism is monolayer chemisorption. The adsorbent showed great potential in removing heavy metals from wastewater.

Influence of mixed ventilation on particulate-gas diffusion and distribution of diesel engine exhaust in fully mechanized excavation face

Tail gas emitted by underground trackless rubber wheel cars poses a serious threat to the health and safety of underground workers. To effectively reduce the tail gas concentration of a comprehensive excavation face, this study adopted a numerical simulation method to investigate the influence of air suction volume Q and distance L between trackless rubber wheel cars and headfaces on the diffusion law of diesel particulate matter, CO, and NO_x under long suction and short pressure ventilation. The results showed that under the condition of L = 20 m, the trackless rubber wheel car is closer to the suction air duct. At this point, when Q = 600 m³/min, the tail gas control effect in the roadway is optimum. In addition, under the condition of L = 40 m, the trackless rubber wheel car is in the middle of the roadway. At this point, when Q = 300 m³/min, the tail gas control effect in the roadway is optimum. When L = 60 m and Q = 200 m³/min, the ventilation mode in the roadway is mainly pressure-in ventilation. The high-volume-fraction NO_x region and the medium-volume-fraction NO_x region under this air volume are small.

Organic-inorganic interface chemistry for sustainable materials

This mini-review focuses on up-to-date advances of hybrid materials consisting of organic and inorganic components and their applications in different chemical processes. The purpose of forming such hybrids is mainly to functionalize and stabilize inorganic supports by attaching an organic linker to enhance their performance towards a target application. The interface chemistry is present with the emphasis on the sustainability of their components, chemical changes in substrates during synthesis, improvements of their physical and chemical properties, and, finally, their implementation. The latter is the main sectioning feature of this review, while we present the most prosperous applications ranging from catalysis, through water purification and energy storage. Emphasis was given to materials that can be classified as green to the best in our consideration. As the summary, the current situation on developing hybrid materials as well as directions towards sustainable future using organic-inorganic hybrids are presented.

Preparation and characterization of modified dual network dust suppression gel based on sodium alginate and soluble starch

Aiming at the problems of complex environment and serious dust pollution in large open-pit coal yards, a dust suppression gel with a dual network structure was prepared by modifying the soluble starch and sodium alginate with iron ions. The changes of functional groups, thermal stability, and morphology structure before and after the reaction were analyzed by FTIR, TG-DSC, and SEM, and the formation mechanism of the dual network was revealed by XPS. Furthermore, the water absorption and water retention experiments proved that the dual network structure is more conducive to water retention than the single-layer network. According to molecular dynamics simulations and contact angle experiments, gel and adsorbed water molecules can approach coal dust molecules on their own to contact, wet, and combine with coal dust. The adhesion test proved that the dust suppression gel with iron ions had better adhesion to dust. The anti-freezing test shows that the dust suppression gel has good anti-freezing performance. The antifreeze test shows that the dust suppression gel still has excellent freeze-thaw resistance at the test temperature of  -20℃. The mechanical property test shows that the dust suppressant gel can prevent the product from being damaged by external force. The acid and alkali resistance experiments showed that the acid and alkali resistance of the gel was improved under the condition of iron ion modification, and the flying of coal powder was effectively prevented. This research provides a new theoretical idea for coal dust control in complex environment.

Dual-Structure PVDF/SDS Nanofibrous Membranes for Highly Efficient Personal Protection in Mines

Pneumoconiosis in miners is considered a global problem. Improving the performance of individual protective materials can effectively reduce the incidence of pneumoconiosis. In this study, the blend membrane of sodium dodecyl sulfate and polyvinylidene fluoride with a dual structure was prepared using electrospinning techniques, and the morphological structure, fiber diameter, and filtration performance of the nanofiber membranes were optimized by adjusting the PVDF concentration and SDS content. The results show that the incorporation of SDS enabled the nanofiber membranes to show tree-like and beaded fibers. Compared with the original PVDF membrane, the small content of tree-like fibers and beaded fibers can improve the filtration efficiency and reduce the resistance of the fiber membrane. The prepared nanofiber membrane has excellent comprehensive filtration performance, and the quality factor is 0.042 pa−1 when the concentration of PVDF is 10 wt% and the addition of SDS is 0.1 wt%. Furthermore, after high-temperature treatment, the membrane could still maintain good filtration performance. The PVDF/SDS blend nanofiber membrane has outstanding filtration efficiency and good thermal stability and can fully meet the personal protection of miners in underground high-temperature operation environments.

Preparation and Characterization of Pendimethalin Microcapsules Based on Microfluidic Technology

Microencapsulation of pesticides is a promising attempt to reduce environmental pollution and prevent the active ingredients from the interference of external factors. In this paper, pendimethalin microcapsules were prepared by the interfacial polymerization of 4,4-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and ethylenediamine (EDA) based on microfluidic technology. Effects of the microchannel structure, reaction temperature, surfactant type, and fluid flow rates were investigated and evaluated. The results showed that pendimethalin microcapsules prepared under suitable conditions had a smooth surface, good monodispersity, a high encapsulation efficiency (96.7%), and excellent thermal stability. The size and morphology control of microcapsules were realized by adjusting the flow rates of the continuous phase and the hydrophilic monomer EDA aqueous solution. The release of pendimethalin had a sustained release characteristic that was closely related to the morphology of microcapsules. Compared with the pendimethalin emulsifiable concentrate, pendimethalin microcapsules exhibited outstanding herbicidal activity in the weed control experiments. Therefore, pendimethalin microcapsules with tunable properties were successfully obtained from the microfluidic device and showed great potential in agricultural applications.

Preparation and characterization of magnetic modified bone charcoal for removing Cu2+ ions from industrial and mining wastewater

Heavy metal water pollution is an urgent global problem to be addressed. Copper ions are common toxic heavy metal pollutants in wastewater. In order to remove the excessive copper ions in wastewater, in this study, chicken bone charcoal was modified by sodium dodecyl sulfonate and combined with magnetic nanoparticles prepared with ferric chloride hexahydrate and ferrous sulfate heptahydrate to produce a high efficiency adsorbent. The characterization of the magnetically modified bone charcoal was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, surface and porosity analyses, FTIR and thermogravimetric analysis. The optimal adsorption conditions of magnetically modified bone charcoal for Cu²⁺ were obtained through batch experiments. The highest removal rate and adsorption capacity of Cu²⁺ was 99.98% and 15.057 mg/g, respectively, when the pH was 3.0, adsorbent dosage was 0.2 g, initial concentration of the Cu²⁺ solution was 50 mg/L, and temperature was 25 °C. The adsorption process fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The regeneration experiment indicated that M-SDS-BC-500 maintained a high removal rate after five repetitions. The results suggest that the adsorbent has wide application prospects.

Preparation and characteristics analysis of an ecoenvironmental protection cyclic solidification dust-fixing agent extracted from waste shrimp shells to suppress dust in coal resource-based cities

There are a lot of coal cinder and dust in the development of coal resource-based cities. Improper handling will cause dust flying, which has a great impact on urban residents and the environment. The purpose of this research is to follow the principle of waste recycling, to use waste shrimp shells to extract chitosan as a raw material, to carry out graft polymerization with acrylic acid and polyvinyl alcohol-1788, and to carry out amidation crosslinking reactions with ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid to produce products. The results showed that the degree of deacetylation of chitosan reached 85% with the optimized extraction method, which greatly shortened the process cycle. Through orthogonal experiments and osmotic wetting experiments, the best preparation process was determined. The reaction process, structure of the product and adhesive structure of the solidified layer were analyzed by FTIR, XPS and SEM. The thermal stability of the product was analyzed by thermogravimetry. Relevant performance tests showed that the product had good adhesion with dust, the hardness of the solidified layer could reach 98 HA, and the dust fixation rate was 92.67% when the wind speed was 15-18 m/s. It has the advantage of circulating dust fixation, which improves the utilization rate of resources.

Effect of Water-Based Acrylic Acid Microcapsules on the Properties of Paint Film for Furniture Surface

In this paper, self-healing microcapsules with urea formaldehyde coated Nippon water-based acrylic acid were prepared, and the performance of water-based topcoat paint film added with self-healing microcapsules and the repair effect of microcapsules were investigated. The results show that when the content of microcapsules in water-based topcoat paint film on the surface of wood increased, the color difference and hardness rose gradually, the gloss and adhesion declined gradually, the impact resistance and tensile strength at break rose first and then declined. The 0.67:1 core-wall ratio microcapsules had a better micromorphology, and the water-based topcoat paint film with 0.67:1 microcapsules had a certain repair effect. The microcapsules were added to the water-based topcoat paint film to repair the coating to a certain extent, which provide technical reference for prolonging the service life of water-based topcoat paint film for the furniture surface.

Effect of Microcapsules of a Waterborne Core Material on the Properties of a Waterborne Primer Coating on a Wooden Surface

Microcapsules of a waterborne core material were prepared using a waterborne primer. The microcapsules of the waterborne core material were added to the waterborne primer to explore the effects of different core–shell ratios and mass fractions of the microcapsules on the property of the waterborne primer coating on the wooden surface. The results show that as the mass fraction of the microcapsules increased, the chromatic aberration increased by degrees, the glossiness decreased gradually, and the hardness increased by degrees, whilst—except for the coating with 0.50:1 microcapsules—the adhesion decreased gradually. When the mass fraction of the microcapsules increased, the impact resistance increased first and decreased later, or remained unchanged after reaching a certain value. When the mass fraction of the microcapsules increased, the elongation at the break increased first and decreased later. When the core–shell ratio was small and the mass fraction was between 5.0% and 15.0%, the coating had better liquid resistance. When the core–shell ratio was 0.67:1 and the mass fraction was 10.0%, the overall property of the coating on the Basswood was the best. The technology of microencapsulation provides a technical reference for the waterborne primer with self-repair qualities on the surface of wooden products.