Polyhedral Oligomeric Sesquioxane Cross-Linked Chitosan-Based Multi-Effective Aerogel Preparation and Its Water-Driven Recovery Mechanism

The use of environmentally friendly and non-toxic biomass-based interfacial solar water evaporators has been widely reported as a method for water purification in recent years. However, the poor stability of the water transport layer made from biomass materials and its susceptibility to deformation when exposed to harsh environments limit its practical application. To address this issue, water-driven recovery aerogel (PCS) was prepared by cross-linking epoxy-based polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (EP-POSS) epoxy groups with chitosan (CS) amino groups. The results demonstrate that PCS exhibits excellent water-driven recovery performance, regaining its original volume within a very short time (1.9 s) after strong compression (ε > 80%). Moreover, PCS has a water absorption rate of 2.67 mm s-1 and exhibits an excellent water absorption capacity of 22.09 g g-1 even after ten cycles of absorption-removal. Furthermore, a photothermal evaporator (PCH) was prepared by loading the top layer with hydrothermally reacted tannins (HAs) and Zn2+ complexes. The results indicate that PCH achieves an impressive evaporation rate of 1.89 kg m-2 h-1 under one sun illumination. Additionally, due to the antimicrobial properties of Zn2+, PCH shows inhibitory effects against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, thereby extending the application of solar water evaporators to include antimicrobial purification in natural waters.

Insights into the interactions between cellulose and biological molecules

Understanding the interactions between carbohydrate polymer molecules and biomolecules is of primary significance for its application. In this paper, the interaction between cellulose and biomolecules was studied using density functional theory method, in which cellobiose, nucleobases, and aromatic amino acids were employed as the structural models of cellulose, DNA, and protein, respectively. Quantitative molecular surface electrostatic potential (ESP) results well represented how cellulose perceived by organism during the recognition. The structural and energetic studies of cellulose with biomolecules complexes show that weak interactions, such as hydrogen bonding interaction, vdW interaction, and pi-H interaction, play an important role in stabilizing these complexes. Through systematic wavefunction analysis, including reduced density gradient (RDG) and natural bond orbital (NBO) methods, the nature of these weak interactions was revealed and further graphically visualized. In-depth understanding of the interaction between cellobiose with biological model molecules may shed lights on the application of carbohydrate polymer-based materials in biological fields.

Studies on Intermolecular Interaction of N-Glycidyltrimethyl Ammonium Chloride Modified Chitosan/N,N-Dimethyl-N-dodecyl-N-(2,3-epoxy propyl) Ammonium Chloride and Curcumin Delivery

Chitosan has potential applications in many fields, due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability and reproducibility. However, the insolubility in water restricts its wide application. In order to expand the application of chitosan in the delivery of oil-soluble drugs and improve the efficacy of oil-soluble drugs, N-Glycidyltrimethyl ammonium chloride-modified chitosan (GTA-m-CS) and N,N-Dimethyl-N-dodecyl-N-(1,2-epoxy propyl) ammonium chloride (DDEAC), a kind of reactive surfactant, were synthesized and characterized by FTIR, NMR and XRD methods. The interactions between GTA-m-CS and DDEAC was studied by surface tension, viscosity, conductivity and fluorescence methods. The parameters, including equilibrium surface tension, critical micelle concentrations of DDEAC with different GTA-m-CS concentration, critical aggregation concentration of DDEAC, the amount of DDEAC adsorbed on GTA-m-CS, pc₂₀ and π_cmc were obtained from the surface tension curves. The influence of temperature on the above parameters were evaluated. The degree of counterion binding to micelle and the thermodynamic parameters of the system were calculated from the conductivity curves. According to the change of conductivity with temperature, the thermodynamic parameters of micellar formation were calculated. The aggregation number of DDEAC molecules in GTA-m-CS/DDEAC aggregates were calculated from steady-state fluorescence data. Based on the experimental results, the interaction models between GTA-m-CS and DDEAC were proposed. The GTA-m-CS/DDEAC aggregates could be used as curcumin carries, and achieved sustained release.

Fast Track to Acetate-Based Ionic Liquids: Preparation, Properties and Application in Energy and Petrochemical Fields

Acetate-based ionic liquids (AcILs), as a kind of typical carboxylate-based ILs, display excellent structure tunability, non-volatility, good solubility to biomass, and favorable adsorption capacity, etc. These unique characteristics of AcILs make them important candidates for a range of applications in the field of energy and in the petrochemical industry. This paper intends to provide a comprehensive overview of recent advances in AcILs, including pure AcILs, AcIL-based multi-solvents, and AcIL-based composites, etc. Preparation methods, with one- and two-step synthesis, are reviewed. The relationship between properties and temperature is discussed, and some physical and thermodynamic properties of different AcILs are summarized and further calculated. The applications of AcILs in the fields of biomass processing, organic synthesis, separation, electrochemistry, and other fields are reviewed based on their prominent properties. Thereinto, the dual functions of AcILs as solvents and activators for biomass dissolution are discussed, and the roles of AcILs as catalysts and reaction mediums in clean organic synthesis are highlighted. Meanwhile, the reaction mechanisms of AcILs with acid gases are posed by means of molecular simulation and experimental characterization. Moreover, AcILs as electrolytes for zinc batteries, supercapacitors, and electrodeposition are particularly introduced. Finally, the future research challenges and prospects of AcILs are presented.

Regeneration behavior of chitosan from ionic liquid using water and alcohols as anti-solvents

While ionic liquids (ILs) have been considered as effective and "green" solvents for biopolymer processing, regeneration of IL-dissolved biopolymers could largely impact biopolymer structure and properties. This study indicates that the reconstitution of chitosan structure during regeneration from 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([Emim][OAc]) depends on anti-solvent (water, methanol or ethanol) largely. Irrespective of anti-solvent, the chitosan chemical structure was not varied by dissolution or regeneration. With water, the regenerated chitosan had the highest crystallinity index of 54.18%, followed by those with methanol (35.07%) and ethanol (25.65%). Water as an anti-solvent could promote chitosan chain rearrangement, leading to the formation of an ordered aggregated structure and crystallites. Density functional theory (DFT) simulation indicates that the number of hydrogen bonds formed between anti-solvents and [Emim][OAc] was in the order of water > methanol > ethanol. With water used for regeneration, the aggregation and rearrangement of chitosan chains occurred more easily.

Use of Ionic Liquids and Deep Eutectic Solvents in Polysaccharides Dissolution and Extraction Processes towards Sustainable Biomass Valorization

A shift to a bioeconomy development model has been evolving, conducting the scientific community to investigate new ways of producing chemicals, materials and fuels from renewable resources, i.e., biomass. Specifically, technologies that provide high performance and maximal use of biomass feedstocks into commodities with reduced environmental impact have been highly pursued. A key example comprises the extraction and/or dissolution of polysaccharides, one of the most abundant fractions of biomass, which still need to be improved regarding these processes' efficiency and selectivity parameters. In this context, the use of alternative solvents and the application of less energy-intensive processes in the extraction of polysaccharides might play an important role to reach higher efficiency and sustainability in biomass valorization. This review debates the latest achievements in sustainable processes for the extraction of polysaccharides from a myriad of biomass resources, including lignocellulosic materials and food residues. Particularly, the ability of ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents (DESs) to dissolve and extract the most abundant polysaccharides from natural sources, namely cellulose, chitin, starch, hemicelluloses and pectins, is scrutinized and the efficiencies between solvents are compared. The interaction mechanisms between solvent and polysaccharide are described, paving the way for the design of selective extraction processes. A detailed discussion of the work developed for each polysaccharide as well as the innovation degree and the development stage of dissolution and extraction technologies is presented. Their advantages and disadvantages are also identified, and possible synergies by integrating microwave- and ultrasound-assisted extraction (MAE and UAE) or a combination of both (UMAE) are briefly described. Overall, this review provides key information towards the design of more efficient, selective and sustainable extraction and dissolution processes of polysaccharides from biomass.

Marine-Derived Polymers in Ionic Liquids: Architectures Development and Biomedical Applications

Marine resources have considerable potential to develop high-value materials for applications in different fields, namely pharmaceutical, environmental, and biomedical. Despite that, the lack of solubility of marine-derived polymers in water and common organic solvents could restrict their applications. In the last years, ionic liquids (ILs) have emerged as platforms able to overcome those drawbacks, opening many routes to enlarge the use of marine-derived polymers as biomaterials, among other applications. From this perspective, ILs can be used as an efficient extraction media for polysaccharides from marine microalgae and wastes (e.g., crab shells, squid, and skeletons) or as solvents to process them in different shapes, such as films, hydrogels, nano/microparticles, and scaffolds. The resulting architectures can be applied in wound repair, bone regeneration, or gene and drug delivery systems. This review is focused on the recent research on the applications of ILs as processing platforms of biomaterials derived from marine polymers.

Preparation of thin-film electrolyte from chitosan-containing ionic liquid for application to electric double-layer capacitors

A novel thin-film electrolyte (TFE) based on chitosan (CS) with 1‑ethyl‑3‑methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMImBF₄) was prepared by a new procedure for use as a solid electrolyte in electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs). In this system, EMImBF₄ plays important roles as both a dissolving solution and a charge carrier for EDLC application. By analyzing and characterizing the obtained products, the CS-TFEs showed a surface without CS/EMImBF₄ phase separation and with high thermal stability and good tensile properties. The electrochemical properties were measured as the charge-discharge performance, the discharge capacitance, and alternating-current impedance. A test cell with CS-TFE with a calculated dry thin-film content of 80 wt% EMImBF₄ showed a comparable IR drop and higher discharge capacitance than a liquid-phase EMImBF₄ system and also showed low electrode/electrolyte interfacial resistance. Consequently, this novel CS-TFE is suitable for high-performance EDLCs and improves the safety of such devices.

Preparation and characterization of chitosan membranes

The present study investigates a new method for preparing chitosan membranes. The thus-prepared film was moderately thick and had a smooth surface, without curling.

DFT study on the dissolution mechanisms of α-cyclodextrin and chitobiose in ionic liquid

Density functional theory (DFT) was employed to study the dissolution mechanisms of α-cyclodextrin and chitobiose in 1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium acetate ([Emim][OAc]). Geometrical analysis of the studied complexes indicated that both anion and cation in ionic liquid interacting withα-cyclodextrin and chitobiose contributed to the dissolution reaction. Intermolecular interactions in the complexes were identified as non-covalent interactions, such as hydrogen bonds, van der Waals interactions and repulsions, which were considered as the driving force of dissolution. Among them, hydrogen bonding interactions played a dominant role, which was further visualized in the real space by combination of atoms in molecules (AIM) and reduced density gradient (RDG) techniques. The nature of intermolecular orbital interactions was characterized using natural bond orbital (NBO) theory.

Highly efficient electrochemical reduction of CO2 to CH4 in an ionic liquid using a metal-organic framework cathode

Highly efficient electrochemical reduction of CO2 to CH4 is of great importance, but is challenging. Herein, Zn-1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid metal-organic frameworks (Zn-BTC MOFs) deposited on carbon paper (CP) were used as cathodes in electrochemical reduction of CO2 using ionic liquids (ILs) as the electrolytes, which was the first work on combination of a MOF electrode and an pure IL electrolyte in the electrochemical reduction of CO2. It was found that the efficiency of the reaction depended strongly on the morphology of the Zn-MOFs. Compared with the commonly used metal electrodes, the electrochemical reaction showed much higher selectivity to CH4 and current density, and the overpotentials for CH4 is much lower. The excellent combination of the MOF cathodes and ILs opens a way for reduction of CO2 to CH4 effectively.

Fine regulation of cellulose dissolution and regeneration by low pressure CO2 in DMSO/organic base: dissolution behavior and mechanism

Exploring cellulose dissolving and regenerating behavior in DMSO/organic base solvent systems with the activation of low pressure CO₂.

Theoretical studies on the dissolution of chitosan in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ionic liquid

In this work, the dissolution mechanism of chitosan in imidazolium acetic-based ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate was investigated by density functional theory (DFT). Chitobiose is considered to symbolize chitosan during the DFT calculations. [Bmim]OAc is supposed to be the best suitable IL among the investigated ILs for the dissolution of chitosan since the complex formed between [Bmim]OAc and chitobiose has the lowest energy. The hydrogen bonds formed by IL and chitobiose were studied by discussing the geometric parameter variations and the vibration mode analyses. Four strong hydrogen-bond patterns C1-H1 ⋯ O16, C2-H2 ⋯ O16, O38-H39 ⋯ O1 and O40-H41 ⋯ O2 were found, which means the existence of strong interaction between chitosan and [Bmim]OAc. In addition, natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis was used to study the second order perturbation stabilization energies (E(2)) that denotes the intensity of the interactions between chitobiose with H2O and ILs. The E(2) of chitobiose with [Bmim]OAc is larger than that of chitobiose with other ILs and solvents studied, which proves that chitobiose can be dissolved in [Bmim]OAc but cannot in water and other solvents. Atom in molecules (AIM) theory shows that hydrogen bonds between chitobiose and [Bmim]OAc are stronger than that between chitobiose and other solvents. It means that the interactions between [Bmim]OAc and chitobiose interrupt the initial hydrogen bonds in the chitobiose due to the formation of new hydrogen bonds in the complexes. The calculation data provide the interaction mechanism of the dissolution of chitosan in [Bmim]OAc.

Glucosamine condensation catalyzed by 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate: mechanistic insight from NMR spectroscopy

[C₂C₁Im][OAc] could efficiently catalyze GlcNH₂ into deoxyfructosazine (DOF) and fructosazine (FZ), and the underlying catalysis mechanism was investigated by NMR spectroscopy.

Solubility and solution thermodynamics of rhein in eight pure solvents from (288.15 to 313.15) K

Solubility of rhein in water, dichloroethane, glycol, ethanol, methanol, ethyl acetate, propanol, and butanol was measured. Two equations including the modified Apelblat equation, and λh equation can correlate the solubilities of rhein.

Molecular weight dependence of structure and properties of chitosan oligomers

Molecular weight dependence of water solubility of COS.