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Oprică GM, Panaitescu DM, Lixandru BE, Uşurelu CD, Gabor AR, Nicolae CA, Fierascu RC, Frone AN. Plant-Derived Nanocellulose with Antibacterial Activity for Wound Healing Dressing. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2672. [PMID: 38140013 PMCID: PMC10747278 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15122672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The medical sector is one of the biggest consumers of single-use materials, and while the insurance of sterile media is non-negotiable, the environmental aspect is a chronic problem. Nanocellulose (NC) is one of the safest and most promising materials that can be used in medical applications due to its valuable properties like biocompatibility and biodegradability, along with its good mechanical properties and high water uptake capacity. However, NC has no bactericidal activity, which is a critical need for the effective prevention of infections in chronic diabetic wound dressing applications. Therefore, in this work, a natural product, propolis extract (PE), was used as an antibacterial agent, in different amounts, together with NC to obtain sponge-like structures (NC/PE). The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed well-impregnated cellulose fibers and a more compact structure with the addition of PE. According to the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), the samples containing PE underwent thermal degradation before the unmodified NC due to the presence of volatile compounds in the extract. However, the peak degradation temperature in the first derivative thermogravimetric curves was higher for all the sponges containing PE when compared to the unmodified NC. The antibacterial efficacy of the samples was tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli, as well as on two clinically resistant isolates. The samples completely inhibited the development of Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was partially inhibited, while Escherichia coli was resistant to the PE action. Considering the physical and biological properties along with the environmental and economic benefits, the development of an NC/PE wound dressing seems promising.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Mădălina Oprică
- National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (G.M.O.); (C.D.U.); (A.R.G.); (C.-A.N.); (R.C.F.); (A.N.F.)
- Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 1-7 Gh. PolizuStreet, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Denis Mihaela Panaitescu
- National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (G.M.O.); (C.D.U.); (A.R.G.); (C.-A.N.); (R.C.F.); (A.N.F.)
| | - Brînduşa Elena Lixandru
- Cantacuzino National Medical-Military Institute for Research and Development, 103 Spl. Independentei, 050096 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Catalina Diana Uşurelu
- National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (G.M.O.); (C.D.U.); (A.R.G.); (C.-A.N.); (R.C.F.); (A.N.F.)
- Department of Bioresources and Polymer Science, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 1-7 Gh. PolizuStreet, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Augusta Raluca Gabor
- National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (G.M.O.); (C.D.U.); (A.R.G.); (C.-A.N.); (R.C.F.); (A.N.F.)
| | - Cristian-Andi Nicolae
- National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (G.M.O.); (C.D.U.); (A.R.G.); (C.-A.N.); (R.C.F.); (A.N.F.)
| | - Radu Claudiu Fierascu
- National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (G.M.O.); (C.D.U.); (A.R.G.); (C.-A.N.); (R.C.F.); (A.N.F.)
- Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 1-7 Gh. PolizuStreet, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Adriana Nicoleta Frone
- National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (G.M.O.); (C.D.U.); (A.R.G.); (C.-A.N.); (R.C.F.); (A.N.F.)
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Raditoiu A, Raditoiu V, Raduly MF, Gabor AR, Frone AN, Grapin M, Anastasescu M. Cellulose Fabrics Functionalized with Sol-Gel Photocatalytic Coatings Based on Iron (III) Phthalocyanine Tetracarboxylic Acids-TiO 2-Silica Hybrids. Gels 2023; 9:860. [PMID: 37998950 PMCID: PMC10671179 DOI: 10.3390/gels9110860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Photocatalytic coatings are difficult to obtain on textile materials because of the sometimes contradictory properties that must be achieved. In order to obtain a high efficiency of a photocatalytic effect, the metal-oxide semiconductor must be found in the vicinity of the coating-air interface in order to come into direct contact with the contaminant species and allow light radiation access to its surface. Another necessary condition is related to the properties of the covering textile material as well as to the stability of the xerogel films to light and wet treatments. In this sense, we proposed a solution based on hybrid silica films generated by sol-gel processes, coatings that contain as a photocatalyst TiO2 sensitized with tetracarboxylic acid of iron (III) phthalocyanine (FeTCPc). The coatings were made by the pad-dry-cure process, using in the composition a bifunctional anchoring agent (3-glycidoxipropyltrimethoxysilane, GLYMO), a crosslinking agent (sodium tetraborate, BORAX), and a catalyst (N-methylimidazole, MIM) for the polymerization of epoxy groups. The photodegradation experiments performed on methylene blue (MB), utilized as a model contaminant, using LED or xenon arc as light sources, showed that the treatment with BORAX improves the resistance of the coatings to wet treatments but worsens their photocatalytic performances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina Raditoiu
- National Research and Development Institute for Chemistry and Petrochemistry—ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (A.R.); (M.F.R.); (A.R.G.); (A.N.F.); (M.G.)
| | - Valentin Raditoiu
- National Research and Development Institute for Chemistry and Petrochemistry—ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (A.R.); (M.F.R.); (A.R.G.); (A.N.F.); (M.G.)
| | - Monica Florentina Raduly
- National Research and Development Institute for Chemistry and Petrochemistry—ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (A.R.); (M.F.R.); (A.R.G.); (A.N.F.); (M.G.)
| | - Augusta Raluca Gabor
- National Research and Development Institute for Chemistry and Petrochemistry—ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (A.R.); (M.F.R.); (A.R.G.); (A.N.F.); (M.G.)
| | - Adriana Nicoleta Frone
- National Research and Development Institute for Chemistry and Petrochemistry—ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (A.R.); (M.F.R.); (A.R.G.); (A.N.F.); (M.G.)
| | - Maria Grapin
- National Research and Development Institute for Chemistry and Petrochemistry—ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (A.R.); (M.F.R.); (A.R.G.); (A.N.F.); (M.G.)
| | - Mihai Anastasescu
- Institute of Physical Chemistry “Ilie Murgulescu”, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania;
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Oprică GM, Panaitescu DM, Usurelu CD, Vlăsceanu GM, Stanescu PO, Lixandru BE, Vasile V, Gabor AR, Nicolae CA, Ghiurea M, Frone AN. Nanocellulose Sponges Containing Antibacterial Basil Extract. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11871. [PMID: 37511630 PMCID: PMC10380770 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Nanocellulose (NC) is a valuable material in tissue engineering, wound dressing, and drug delivery, but its lack of antimicrobial activity is a major drawback for these applications. In this work, basil ethanolic extract (BE) and basil seed mucilage (BSM) were used to endow nanocellulose with antibacterial activity. NC/BE and NC/BE/BSM sponges were obtained from nanocellulose suspensions and different amounts of BE and BSM after freeze-drying. Regardless of the BE or BSM content, the sponges started to decompose at a lower temperature due to the presence of highly volatile active compounds in BE. A SEM investigation revealed an opened-cell structure and nanofibrillar morphology for all the sponges, while highly impregnated nanofibers were observed by SEM in NC/BE sponges with higher amounts of BE. A quantitative evaluation of the porous morphology by microcomputer tomography showed that the open porosity of the sponges varied between 70% and 82%, being lower in the sponges with higher BE/BSM content due to the impregnation of cellulose nanofibers with BE/BSM, which led to smaller pores. The addition of BE increased the specific compression strength of the NC/BE sponges, with a higher amount of BE having a stronger effect. A slight inhibition of S. aureus growth was observed in the NC/BE sponges with a higher amount of BE, and no effect was observed in the unmodified NC. In addition, the NC/BE sponge with the highest amount of BE and the best antibacterial effect in the series showed no cytotoxic effect and did not interfere with the normal development of the L929 cell line, similar to the unmodified NC. This work uses a simple, straightforward method to obtain highly porous nanocellulose structures containing antibacterial basil extract for use in biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Mădălina Oprică
- National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Denis Mihaela Panaitescu
- National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Catalina Diana Usurelu
- National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
- Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
| | - George Mihai Vlăsceanu
- Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Paul Octavian Stanescu
- Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Brandusa Elena Lixandru
- Cantacuzino National Medical-Military Institute for Research and Development, 103 Spl. Independentei, 050096 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Valentin Vasile
- Cantacuzino National Medical-Military Institute for Research and Development, 103 Spl. Independentei, 050096 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Augusta Raluca Gabor
- National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cristian-Andi Nicolae
- National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Marius Ghiurea
- National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Adriana Nicoleta Frone
- National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
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Nistor CL, Gifu IC, Anghel EM, Ianchis R, Cirstea CD, Nicolae CA, Gabor AR, Atkinson I, Petcu C. Novel PEG 6000-Silica-MWCNTs Shape-Stabilized Composite Phase-Change Materials (ssCPCMs) for Thermal-Energy Storage. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:3022. [PMID: 37514413 PMCID: PMC10386010 DOI: 10.3390/polym15143022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper describes the preparation of new PEG6000-silica-MWCNTs composites as shape-stabilized phase change materials (ssPCMs) for application in latent heat storage. An innovative method was employed to obtain the new organic-inorganic hybrid materials, in which both a part of the PEG chains, used as the phase change material, and a part of the hydroxyl functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-OH), used as thermo-conductive fillers, were covalently connected by newly formed urethane bonds to the in-situ-generated silica matrix. The study's main aim was to investigate the optimal amount of PEG6000 that can be added to the fixed sol-gel reaction mixture so that no leakage of PEG occurs after repeated heating-cooling cycles. The findings show that the optimum PEG6000/NCOTEOS molar ratio was 2/1 (~91.5% PEG6000), because both the connected and free PEG chains interacted strongly with the in-situ-generated silica matrix to form a shape-stabilized material while preserving high phase-transition enthalpies (~153 J/G). Morphological and structural findings obtained by SEM, X-ray and Raman techniques indicated a distribution of the silica component in the amorphous phase (~27% for the optimum composition) located among the crystalline lamellae built by the folded chains of the PEG component. This composite maintained good chemical stability after a 450-cycle thermal test and had a good storage efficiency (~84%).
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Lavinia Nistor
- Polymers Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Ioana Catalina Gifu
- Polymers Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Elena Maria Anghel
- Institute of Physical Chemistry "Ilie Murgulescu" of the Romanian Academy, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Raluca Ianchis
- Polymers Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cristiana-Diana Cirstea
- National Institute for Research and Development in Electrical Engineering ICPE-CA, INCDIE ICPE-CA, 313 Splaiul Unirii Street, 030138 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cristian Andi Nicolae
- Polymers Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Augusta Raluca Gabor
- Polymers Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Irina Atkinson
- Institute of Physical Chemistry "Ilie Murgulescu" of the Romanian Academy, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cristian Petcu
- Polymers Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
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Panaitescu DM, Frone AN, Nicolae CA, Gabor AR, Miu DM, Soare MG, Vasile BS, Lupescu I. Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) nanocomposites modified with even and odd chain length polyhydroxyalkanoates. Int J Biol Macromol 2023:125324. [PMID: 37307975 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.125324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) was blended with medium-chain-length PHAs (mcl-PHAs) for improving its flexibility while nanocellulose (NC) was added as a reinforcing agent. Even and odd-chain-length PHAs, having as main component poly(3-hydroxyoctanoate) (PHO) or poly(3-hydroxynonanoate) (PHN) were synthesized and served as PHB modifiers. The effects of PHO and PHN on the morphology, thermal, mechanical and biodegradation behaviors of PHB were different, especially in the presence of NC. The addition of mcl-PHAs decreased the storage modulus (E') of PHB blends by about 40 %. The further addition of NC mitigated this decrease bringing the E' of PHB/PHO/NC close to that of PHB and having a minor effect on the E' of PHB/PHN/NC. The biodegradability of PHB/PHN/NC was higher than that of PHB/PHO/NC, the latter's being close to that of neat PHB after soil burial for four months. The results showed a complex effect of NC, which enhanced the interaction between PHB and mcl-PHAs and decreased the size of PHO/PHN inclusions (1.9 ± 0.8/2.6 ± 0.9 μm) while increasing the accessibility of water and microorganisms during soil burial. The blown film extrusion test showed the ability of mcl-PHA and NC modified PHB to stretch forming uniform tube and supports the application of these biomaterials in the packaging sector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Mihaela Panaitescu
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry - ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Adriana Nicoleta Frone
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry - ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Cristian-Andi Nicolae
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry - ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Augusta Raluca Gabor
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry - ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Dana Maria Miu
- National Institute for Chemical Pharmaceutical Research and Development, 112 Calea Vitan, 031299 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Mariana-Gratiela Soare
- National Institute for Chemical Pharmaceutical Research and Development, 112 Calea Vitan, 031299 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Bogdan Stefan Vasile
- National Research Centre for Micro and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Irina Lupescu
- National Institute for Chemical Pharmaceutical Research and Development, 112 Calea Vitan, 031299 Bucharest, Romania; Department of Veterinary Medicine, Spiru Haret University, 256 Bulevardul Basarabia, 030352 Bucharest, Romania
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Teodorescu GM, Vuluga Z, Oancea F, Ionita A, Paceagiu J, Ghiurea M, Nicolae CA, Gabor AR, Raditoiu V. Properties of Composites Based on Recycled Polypropylene and Silico-Aluminous Industrial Waste. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15112545. [PMID: 37299344 DOI: 10.3390/polym15112545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
There is an ever-growing interest in recovering and recycling waste materials due to their hazardous nature to the environment and human health. Recently, especially since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, disposable medical face masks have been a major source of pollution, hence the rise in studies being conducted on how to recover and recycle this waste. At the same time, fly ash, an aluminosilicate waste, is being repurposed in various studies. The general approach to recycling these materials is to process and transform them into novel composites with potential applications in various industries. This work aims to investigate the properties of composites based on silico-aluminous industrial waste (ashes) and recycled polypropylene from disposable medical face masks and to create usefulness for these materials. Polypropylene/ash composites were prepared through melt processing methods, and samples were analyzed to get a general overview of the properties of these composites. Results showed that the polypropylene recycled from face masks used together with silico-aluminous ash can be processed through industrial melt processing methods and that the addition of only 5 wt% ash with a particle size of less than 90 µm, increases the thermal stability and the stiffness of the polypropylene matrix while maintaining its mechanical strength. Further investigations are needed to find specific applications in some industrial fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- George-Mihail Teodorescu
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Zina Vuluga
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Florin Oancea
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Andreea Ionita
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | | | - Marius Ghiurea
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cristian-Andi Nicolae
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Augusta Raluca Gabor
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Valentin Raditoiu
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
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Ghizdareanu AI, Banu A, Pasarin D, Ionita Afilipoaei A, Nicolae CA, Gabor AR, Pătroi D. Enhancing the Mechanical Properties of Corn Starch Films for Sustainable Food Packaging by Optimizing Enzymatic Hydrolysis. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15081899. [PMID: 37112046 PMCID: PMC10146090 DOI: 10.3390/polym15081899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of enzymatic hydrolysis using α-amylase from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens on the mechanical properties of starch-based films. The process parameters of enzymatic hydrolysis and the degree of hydrolysis (DH) were optimized using a Box-Behnken design (BBD) and response surface methodology (RSM). The mechanical properties of the resulting hydrolyzed corn starch films (tensile strain at break, tensile stress at break, and Young's modulus) were evaluated. The results showed that the optimum DH for hydrolyzed corn starch films to achieve improved mechanical properties of the film-forming solutions was achieved at a corn starch to water ratio of 1:2.8, an enzyme to substrate ratio of 357 U/g, and an incubation temperature of 48 °C. Under the optimized conditions, the hydrolyzed corn starch film had a higher water absorption index of 2.32 ± 0.112% compared to the native corn starch film (control) of 0.81 ± 0.352%. The hydrolyzed corn starch films were more transparent than the control sample, with a light transmission of 78.5 ± 0.121% per mm. Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis showed that the enzymatically hydrolyzed corn starch films had a more compact and solid structure in terms of molecular bonds, and the contact angle was also higher, at 79.21 ± 0.171° for this sample. The control sample had a higher melting point than the hydrolyzed corn starch film, as indicated by the significant difference in the temperature of the first endothermic event between the two films. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) characterization of the hydrolyzed corn starch film showed intermediate surface roughness. A comparison of the data from the two samples showed that the hydrolyzed corn starch film had better mechanical properties than the control sample, with a greater change in the storage modulus over a wider temperature range and higher values for the loss modulus and tan delta, indicating that the hydrolyzed corn starch film had better energy dissipation properties, as shown by thermal analysis. The improved mechanical properties of the resulting film of hydrolyzed corn starch were attributed to the enzymatic hydrolysis process, which breaks the starch molecules into smaller units, resulting in increased chain flexibility, improved film-forming ability, and stronger intermolecular bonds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andra-Ionela Ghizdareanu
- Faculty of Material Science and Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
- National Research and Development Institute for Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Alexandra Banu
- Faculty of Material Science and Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Diana Pasarin
- National Research and Development Institute for Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Andreea Ionita Afilipoaei
- Faculty of Material Science and Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
- National Research and Development Institute for Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cristian-Andi Nicolae
- National Research and Development Institute for Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Augusta Raluca Gabor
- National Research and Development Institute for Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Delia Pătroi
- National Institute for Research and Development in Electrical Engineering, ICPE-CA, 313 Splaiul Unirii, 030138 Bucharest, Romania
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Frone AN, Uşurelu CD, Oprică GM, Panaitescu DM, Gabor AR, Nicolae CA, Ciuprina F, Damian CM, Raduly FM. Contribution of the Surface Treatment of Nanofibrillated Cellulose on the Properties of Bio-Based Epoxy Nanocomposites Intended for Flexible Electronics. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076544. [PMID: 37047517 PMCID: PMC10095063 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The growing interest in materials derived from biomass has generated a multitude of solutions for the development of new sustainable materials with low environmental impact. We report here, for the first time, a strategy to obtain bio-based nanocomposites from epoxidized linseed oil (ELO), itaconic acid (IA), and surface-treated nanofibrillated cellulose (NC). The effect of nanofibrillated cellulose functionalized with silane (NC/S) and then grafted with methacrylic acid (NC/SM) on the properties of the resulted bio-based epoxy systems was thoroughly investigated. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results showed that the addition of NCs did not influence the curing process and had a slight impact on the maximum peak temperature. Moreover, the NCs improved the onset degradation temperature of the epoxy-based nanocomposites by more than 30 °C, regardless of their treatment. The most important effect on the mechanical properties of bio-based epoxy nanocomposites, i.e., an increase in the storage modulus by more than 60% at room temperature was observed in the case of NC/SM addition. Therefore, NC’s treatment with silane and methacrylic acid improved the epoxy–nanofiber interface and led to a very good dispersion of the NC/SM in the epoxy network, as observed by the SEM investigation. The dielectric results proved the suitability of the obtained bio-based epoxy/NCs materials as substitutes for petroleum-based thermosets in the fabrication of flexible electronic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Nicoleta Frone
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (C.D.U.); (G.M.O.); (D.M.P.); (A.R.G.); (C.-A.N.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Cătălina Diana Uşurelu
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (C.D.U.); (G.M.O.); (D.M.P.); (A.R.G.); (C.-A.N.)
| | - Gabriela Mădălina Oprică
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (C.D.U.); (G.M.O.); (D.M.P.); (A.R.G.); (C.-A.N.)
| | - Denis Mihaela Panaitescu
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (C.D.U.); (G.M.O.); (D.M.P.); (A.R.G.); (C.-A.N.)
| | - Augusta Raluca Gabor
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (C.D.U.); (G.M.O.); (D.M.P.); (A.R.G.); (C.-A.N.)
| | - Cristian-Andi Nicolae
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (C.D.U.); (G.M.O.); (D.M.P.); (A.R.G.); (C.-A.N.)
| | - Florin Ciuprina
- ELMAT Laboratory, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, 060042 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Celina Maria Damian
- Advanced Polymer Materials Group, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Florentina Monica Raduly
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (C.D.U.); (G.M.O.); (D.M.P.); (A.R.G.); (C.-A.N.)
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9
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Ciuprina F, Panaitescu DM, Enache L, Damian CM, Grigorescu RM, Gabor AR, Nicolae CA, Nistor CL, Trusca R. Control of Dielectric and Mechanical Properties of Styrenic Block Copolymer by Graphite Incorporation. Materials (Basel) 2022; 15:7577. [PMID: 36363186 PMCID: PMC9658140 DOI: 10.3390/ma15217577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The structure-property relationship of dielectric elastomers, as well as the methods of improving the control of this relationship, has been widely studied over the last few years, including in some of our previous works. In this paper, we study the control, improvement, and correlation, for a significant range of temperatures, of the mechanical and dielectric properties of polystyrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene (SEBS) and maleic-anhydride-grafted SEBS (SEBS-MA) by using graphite (G) as filler in various concentrations. The aim is to analyze the suitability of these composites for converting electrical energy into mechanical energy or vice versa. The dielectric spectroscopy analysis performed in the frequency range of 10 to 1 MHz and at temperatures between 27 and 77 °C emphasized an exponential increase in real permittivity with G concentration, a low level of dielectric losses (≈10-3), as well as the stability of dielectric losses with temperature for high G content. These results correlate well with the increase in mechanical stiffness with an increase in G content for both SEBS/G and SEBS-MA/G composites. The activation energies for the dielectric relaxation processes detected in SEBS/G and SEBS-MA/G composites were also determined and discussed in connection with the mechanical, thermal, and structural properties resulting from thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florin Ciuprina
- ELMAT Laboratory, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Denis Mihaela Panaitescu
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Laura Enache
- ELMAT Laboratory, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Celina Maria Damian
- Advanced Polymer Materials Group, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1–7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Ramona Marina Grigorescu
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Augusta Raluca Gabor
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cristian Andi Nicolae
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cristina Lavinia Nistor
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Roxana Trusca
- Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1–7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
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10
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Frone AN, Popa MS, Uşurelu CD, Panaitescu DM, Gabor AR, Nicolae CA, Raduly MF, Zaharia A, Alexandrescu E. Bio-Based Poly(lactic acid)/Poly(butylene sebacate) Blends with Improved Toughness. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14193998. [PMID: 36235947 PMCID: PMC9572606 DOI: 10.3390/polym14193998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A series of poly(butylene sebacate) (PBSe) aliphatic polyesters were successfully synthesized by the melt polycondensation of sebacic acid (Se) and 1,4-butanediol (BDO), two monomers manufactured on an industrial scale from biomass. The number average molecular weight (Mn) in the range from 6116 to 10,779 g/mol and the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the PBSe polyesters were tuned by adjusting the feed ratio between the two monomers. Polylactic acid (PLA)/PBSe blends with PBSe concentrations between 2.5 to 20 wt% were obtained by melt compounding. For the first time, PBSe’s effect on the flexibility and toughness of PLA was studied. As shown by the torque and melt flow index (MFI) values, the addition of PBSe endowed PLA with both enhanced melt processability and flexibility. The tensile tests and thermogravimetric analysis showed that PLA/PBSe blends containing 20 wt% PBSe obtained using a BDO molar excess of 50% reached an increase in elongation at break from 2.9 to 108%, with a negligible decrease in Young’s modulus from 2186 MPa to 1843 MPa, and a slight decrease in thermal performances. These results demonstrated the plasticizing efficiency of the synthesized bio-derived polyesters in overcoming PLA’s brittleness. Moreover, the tunable properties of the resulting PBSe can be of great industrial interest in the context of circular bioeconomy.
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11
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Panaitescu DM, Stoian S, Frone AN, Vlăsceanu GM, Baciu DD, Gabor AR, Nicolae CA, Radiţoiu V, Alexandrescu E, Căşărică A, Damian C, Stanescu P. Nanofibrous scaffolds based on bacterial cellulose crosslinked with oxidized sucrose. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 221:381-397. [PMID: 36058396 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.08.189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In this work, oxidized sucrose (OS), which is a safe bio-based and non-toxic polyaldehyde, was used as a crosslinker in defibrillated bacterial cellulose (BC) sponges obtained by freeze-drying. For mimicking the proteins' crosslinking, BC was first modified with an aminosilane to partially replace the OH groups on the BC surface with more reactive amino groups. Further, the aminosilane-grafted bacterial cellulose (BCA) was crosslinked with OS in different concentrations and thermally cured. Functionalized bacterial celluloses showed a good thermal stability, comparable to that of unmodified cellulose and much improved mechanical properties. A threefold increase in the compression strength was obtained for the BCA scaffold after crosslinking and curing. This was correlated with the uniform pore structure emphasized by the micro-CT and SEM analyses. The OS-crosslinked BCA scaffolds were not cytotoxic and showed a porosity of around 80 %, which was almost 100 % open porosity. This study shows that the crosslinking of aminated BC scaffolds with OS allows the obtaining of 3D cellulose structures with good mechanical properties and high porosity, suitable for soft tissue engineering. The results recommend this new method as an innovative approach to obtaining biomaterial scaffolds that mimic the natural extracellular matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Mihaela Panaitescu
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Sergiu Stoian
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Adriana Nicoleta Frone
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | | | - Dora Domnica Baciu
- Cantacuzino National Medical-Military Institute for Research and Development, 103 Spl. Independentei, 050096 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Augusta Raluca Gabor
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cristian Andi Nicolae
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Valentin Radiţoiu
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Elvira Alexandrescu
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Angela Căşărică
- National Institute for Chemical - Pharmaceutical Research and Development, 112 Calea Vitan, 031299 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Celina Damian
- University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Paul Stanescu
- University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
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12
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Râpă M, Spurcaciu BN, Ion RM, Grigorescu RM, Darie-Niță RN, Iancu L, Nicolae CA, Gabor AR, Matei E, Predescu C. Valorization of Polypropylene Waste in the Production of New Materials with Adequate Mechanical and Thermal Properties for Environmental Protection. Materials (Basel) 2022; 15:5978. [PMID: 36079359 PMCID: PMC9457047 DOI: 10.3390/ma15175978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Innovative composites based on polypropylene waste impurified cu HDPE (PPW) combined with two thermoplastic block-copolymers, namely styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBSBC) and styrene-isoprene-styrene (SISBC) block-copolymers, and up to 10 wt% nano-clay, were obtained by melt blending. SBSBC and SISBC with almost the same content of polystyrene (30 wt%) were synthesized by anionic sequential polymerization and used as compatibilizers for PPW. Optical microscopy evaluation of the PPW composites showed that the n-clay was encapsulated into the elastomer. Addition of n-clay, together with SBSBC or SISBC, increased the interphase surface of the components in the PPW composites and enhanced the superficial area/volume ratio, which led to a recycled material with improved performance. The data resulting from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), mechanical evaluation, and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) revealed that PPW reinforcement with n-clay and styrene-diene block-copolymers allows the obtaining of composites with favorable mechanical and thermal properties, and excellent impact strength for potential engineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Râpă
- Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Bogdan Norocel Spurcaciu
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry (ICECHIM), 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Rodica-Mariana Ion
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry (ICECHIM), 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Ramona Marina Grigorescu
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry (ICECHIM), 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Raluca Nicoleta Darie-Niță
- “Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Physical Chemistry of Polymers Department, 41A Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 700487 Iasi, Romania
| | - Lorena Iancu
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry (ICECHIM), 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cristian-Andi Nicolae
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry (ICECHIM), 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Augusta Raluca Gabor
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry (ICECHIM), 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Ecaterina Matei
- Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cristian Predescu
- Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
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13
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Radu ER, Panaitescu DM, Andrei L, Ciuprina F, Nicolae CA, Gabor AR, Truşcă R. Properties of Polysiloxane/Nanosilica Nanodielectrics for Wearable Electronic Devices. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2021; 12:nano12010095. [PMID: 35010043 PMCID: PMC8746963 DOI: 10.3390/nano12010095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Polymer nanodielectrics characterized by good flexibility, processability, low dielectric loss and high dielectric permittivity are materials of interest for wearable electronic devices and intelligent textiles, and are highly in demand in robotics. In this study, an easily scalable and environmentally friendly method was applied to obtain polysiloxane/nanosilica nanocomposites with a large content of nanofiller, of up to 30% by weight. Nanosilica was dispersed both as individual particles and as agglomerates; in nanocomposites with a lower amount of filler, the former prevailed, and at over 20 wt% nanosilica the agglomerates predominated. An improvement of both the tensile strength and modulus was observed for nanocomposites with 5–15 wt% nanosilica, and a strong increase of the storage modulus was observed with the increase of nanofiller concentration. Furthermore, an increase of the storage modulus of up to seven times was observed in the nanocomposites with 30 wt% nanosilica. The tensile modulus was well fitted by models that consider the aggregation of nanoparticles and the role of the interface. The dielectric spectra showed an increase of the real part of the complex relative permittivity with 33% for 30 wt% nanosilica in nanocomposites at a frequency of 1 KHz, whereas the loss tangent values were lower than 0.02 for all tested nanodielectrics in the radio frequency range between 1 KHz and 1 MHz. The polysiloxane–nanosilica nanocomposites developed in this work showed good flexibility; however, they also showed increased stiffness along with a stronger dielectric response than the unfilled polysiloxane, which recommends them as dielectric substrates for wearable electronic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Ruxandra Radu
- National Institute for R&D in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Indendentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (E.R.R.); (C.A.N.); (A.R.G.)
| | - Denis Mihaela Panaitescu
- National Institute for R&D in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Indendentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (E.R.R.); (C.A.N.); (A.R.G.)
- Correspondence: (D.M.P.); (F.C.)
| | - Laura Andrei
- ELMAT Laboratory, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 313 Spl. Indendentei, 060042 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Florin Ciuprina
- ELMAT Laboratory, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 313 Spl. Indendentei, 060042 Bucharest, Romania;
- Correspondence: (D.M.P.); (F.C.)
| | - Cristian Andi Nicolae
- National Institute for R&D in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Indendentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (E.R.R.); (C.A.N.); (A.R.G.)
| | - Augusta Raluca Gabor
- National Institute for R&D in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Indendentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (E.R.R.); (C.A.N.); (A.R.G.)
| | - Roxana Truşcă
- National Research Centre for Micro and Nanomaterials, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 313 Spl. Indendentei, 060042 Bucharest, Romania;
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14
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Popa MS, Frone AN, Radu IC, Stanescu PO, Truşcă R, Rădiţoiu V, Nicolae CA, Gabor AR, Panaitescu DM. Microfibrillated Cellulose Grafted with Metacrylic Acid as a Modifier in Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate). Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:polym13223970. [PMID: 34833269 PMCID: PMC8624960 DOI: 10.3390/polym13223970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
This work proposes a new method for obtaining poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB)/microfibrillated cellulose (MC) composites with more balanced properties intended for the substitution of petroleum-based polymers in packaging and engineering applications. To achieve this, the MC surface was adjusted by a new chemical route to enhance its compatibility with the PHB matrix: (i) creating active sites on the surface of MC with γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (SIMA) or vinyltriethoxysilane (SIV), followed by (ii) the graft polymerization of methacrylic acid (MA). The high efficiency of the SIMA-MA treatment and the lower efficiency in the case of SIV-MA were proven by the changes observed in the Fourier transform infrared FTIR spectra of celluloses. All modified celluloses and the PHB composites containing them showed good thermal stability close to the processing temperature of PHB. SIMA-modified celluloses acted as nucleating agents in PHB, increasing its crystallinity and favoring the formation of smaller spherulites. A uniform dispersion of SIMA-modified celluloses in PHB as a result of the good compatibility between the two phases was observed by scanning electron microscopy and many agglomerations of fibers in the composite with unmodified MC. The dual role of SIMA-MA treatment, as both compatibilizer and plasticizer, was pointed out by mechanical and rheological measurements. This new method to modify MC and obtain PHB/MC composites with more balanced stiffness–toughness properties could be a solution to the high brittleness and poor processability of PHB-based materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marius Stelian Popa
- Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry—ICECHIM, 202 SplaiulIndependentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (M.S.P.); (A.N.F.); (V.R.); (C.A.N.); (A.R.G.)
- Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1–7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania; (I.C.R.); (P.O.S.)
| | - Adriana Nicoleta Frone
- Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry—ICECHIM, 202 SplaiulIndependentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (M.S.P.); (A.N.F.); (V.R.); (C.A.N.); (A.R.G.)
| | - Ionut Cristian Radu
- Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1–7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania; (I.C.R.); (P.O.S.)
| | - Paul Octavian Stanescu
- Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1–7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania; (I.C.R.); (P.O.S.)
| | - Roxana Truşcă
- National Research Centre for Micro and Nanomaterials, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 313 Spl. Indendentei, 060042 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Valentin Rădiţoiu
- Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry—ICECHIM, 202 SplaiulIndependentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (M.S.P.); (A.N.F.); (V.R.); (C.A.N.); (A.R.G.)
| | - Cristian Andi Nicolae
- Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry—ICECHIM, 202 SplaiulIndependentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (M.S.P.); (A.N.F.); (V.R.); (C.A.N.); (A.R.G.)
| | - Augusta Raluca Gabor
- Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry—ICECHIM, 202 SplaiulIndependentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (M.S.P.); (A.N.F.); (V.R.); (C.A.N.); (A.R.G.)
| | - Denis Mihaela Panaitescu
- Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry—ICECHIM, 202 SplaiulIndependentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (M.S.P.); (A.N.F.); (V.R.); (C.A.N.); (A.R.G.)
- Correspondence:
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15
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Panaitescu DM, Popa MS, Raditoiu V, Frone AN, Sacarescu L, Gabor AR, Nicolae CA, Teodorescu M. Effect of calcium stearate as a lubricant and catalyst on the thermal degradation of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate). Int J Biol Macromol 2021; 190:780-791. [PMID: 34517031 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.09.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) is a promising substitute to petroleum-based polymers in packaging and biomedical applications provided that its melt processability and degradability are improved. A new method to control the properties of PHB by using cheap calcium stearate (CS) as a lubricant and decomposition catalyst in melt-mixed PHB-CS compounds was first used. CS is composed of a metallic cation, which promotes PHB degradation, and a hydrophobic anion that improves the compatibility with PHB and processability. An environmentally friendly melt mixing technique was employed to obtain the PHB-CS compounds. Incorporation of 0.5 or 5 wt% CS reduced the melt viscosity and molecular weight of PHB, decreased the melting temperature with up to 5 °C, the crystallization temperature with more than 25 °C, and the degradation temperature with 15 and 40 °C, respectively. In small amounts (0.05 wt%), CS improved the processability and mechanical properties of PHB. In higher amount (0.5 wt%), CS slightly improved the Young's modulus, reduced the tensile strength and enhanced degradation. A better control of thermal and mechanical properties of PHB is, thus, possible by using different CS amount and processing conditions. These results are relevant for PHB application in the context of the global transition to biodegradable packaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Mihaela Panaitescu
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry - ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021, Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Marius Stelian Popa
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry - ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021, Bucharest, Romania; Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Valentin Raditoiu
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry - ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Adriana Nicoleta Frone
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry - ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Liviu Sacarescu
- Romanian Academy, Petru Poni Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41 A Gr. Ghica Voda Alley, 700487, Iasi, Romania
| | - Augusta Raluca Gabor
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry - ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cristian Andi Nicolae
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry - ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021, Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Mircea Teodorescu
- Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
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16
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Vuluga Z, Sanporean CG, Panaitescu DM, Teodorescu GM, Corobea MC, Nicolae CA, Gabor AR, Raditoiu V. The Effect of SEBS/Halloysite Masterbatch Obtained in Different Extrusion Conditions on the Properties of Hybrid Polypropylene/Glass Fiber Composites for Auto Parts. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:polym13203560. [PMID: 34685321 PMCID: PMC8541571 DOI: 10.3390/polym13203560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Masterbatches from a linear poly[styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene] (SEBS) and halloysite nanotubes (HNT-QM) were obtained in different conditions of temperature and shear using two co-rotating twin-screw extruders. The influence of screw configuration and melt processing conditions on the morpho-structural, thermal and mechanical properties of masterbatches at macro and nanoscale was studied. A good dispersion of halloysite nanotubes and better thermal stability and tensile and nanomechanical properties were obtained at a lower temperature profile and higher screw speed. The effect of masterbatches, the best and worst alternatives, on the properties of a polypropylene (PP)–glass fiber (GF) composite was also evaluated. Double hardness, tensile strength and modulus and four times higher impact strength were obtained for PP/GF composites containing masterbatches compared to pristine PP. However, the masterbatch with the best properties led further to enhanced mechanical properties of the PP/GF composite. A clear difference between the effects of the two masterbatches was obtained by nanoindentation and nanoscratch tests. These analyses proved to be useful for the design of polymer composites for automotive parts, such as bumpers or door panels. This study demonstrated that setting-up the correct processing conditions is very important to obtain the desired properties for automotive applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zina Vuluga
- National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, Polymer Department, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (G.M.T.); (M.C.C.); (C.A.N.); (A.R.G.); (V.R.)
- Correspondence: (Z.V.); (D.M.P.); Tel.: +40-21-316-3068 (Z.V. & D.M.P.)
| | - Catalina-Gabriela Sanporean
- Department of Materials and Production, Aalborg University, Fibigerstraede 16, DK-9220 Aalborg East, Denmark;
| | - Denis Mihaela Panaitescu
- National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, Polymer Department, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (G.M.T.); (M.C.C.); (C.A.N.); (A.R.G.); (V.R.)
- Correspondence: (Z.V.); (D.M.P.); Tel.: +40-21-316-3068 (Z.V. & D.M.P.)
| | - George Mihail Teodorescu
- National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, Polymer Department, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (G.M.T.); (M.C.C.); (C.A.N.); (A.R.G.); (V.R.)
| | - Mihai Cosmin Corobea
- National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, Polymer Department, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (G.M.T.); (M.C.C.); (C.A.N.); (A.R.G.); (V.R.)
| | - Cristian Andi Nicolae
- National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, Polymer Department, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (G.M.T.); (M.C.C.); (C.A.N.); (A.R.G.); (V.R.)
| | - Augusta Raluca Gabor
- National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, Polymer Department, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (G.M.T.); (M.C.C.); (C.A.N.); (A.R.G.); (V.R.)
| | - Valentin Raditoiu
- National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, Polymer Department, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (G.M.T.); (M.C.C.); (C.A.N.); (A.R.G.); (V.R.)
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Panaitescu DM, Nicolae CA, Melinte V, Scutaru AL, Gabor AR, Popa MS, Oprea M, Buruiana T. Influence of microfibrillated cellulose and soft biocomponent on the morphology and thermal properties of thermoplastic polyurethanes. J Appl Polym Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/app.50951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Denis Mihaela Panaitescu
- Polymers Department National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM Bucharest Romania
| | - Cristian Andi Nicolae
- Polymers Department National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM Bucharest Romania
| | - Violeta Melinte
- Polyaddition and Photochemistry Department Petru Poni Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry Iasi Romania
| | - Andreea Laura Scutaru
- Polyaddition and Photochemistry Department Petru Poni Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry Iasi Romania
| | - Augusta Raluca Gabor
- Polymers Department National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM Bucharest Romania
| | - Marius Stelian Popa
- Polymers Department National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM Bucharest Romania
| | - Madalina Oprea
- Polymers Department National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM Bucharest Romania
| | - Tinca Buruiana
- Polyaddition and Photochemistry Department Petru Poni Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry Iasi Romania
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Coman AE, Peyrton J, Hubca G, Sarbu A, Gabor AR, Nicolae CA, Iordache TV, Averous L. Synthesis and characterization of renewable polyurethane foams using different biobased polyols from olive oil. Eur Polym J 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2021.110363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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Grigorescu RM, Ghioca P, Iancu L, David ME, Andrei ER, Filipescu MI, Ion RM, Vuluga Z, Anghel I, Sofran IE, Nicolae CA, Gabor AR, Gheboianu A, Bucurica IA. Development of thermoplastic composites based on recycled polypropylene and waste printed circuit boards. Waste Manag 2020; 118:391-401. [PMID: 32942222 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2020.08.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In the last several years, the electronic waste, especially printed circuit boards have significantly increased over the world, generating one of the highest rates of solid waste. The recycling process of the printed circuit boards implies mainly the recovery of metals and glass fibers, while the reuse of the polymeric support has remained largely in the phase of research. In this paper, the non-metallic part of printed circuit boards was used as filler (up to 30%), but also to improve the fire resistance of thermoplastic composites based on recycled polypropylene and diene block-copolymers. The synergy between the elastic effect of elastomers and the reinforcing effect of the waste powder into the thermoplastic matrix was studied by mechanical and dynamo-mechanical analysis, X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy, micro-calorimetry and thermo-gravimetrical analysis. Improved mechanical properties, especially impact strength was observed. The compatibization of components considering the interactions between the ethylene-butylene blocks from the hydrogenated and maleinized styrene-butadiene block-copolymer and recycled polypropylene, respectively between the MA groups and the functionalities of the waste powder, evidenced by FTIR, was highlighted by changes in the X-ray pattern and an increased fire resistance and thermal stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramona Marina Grigorescu
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry & Petrochemistry, ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Paul Ghioca
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry & Petrochemistry, ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Lorena Iancu
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry & Petrochemistry, ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; Valahia University, Doctoral School of Materials Engineering Department, 13 Aleea Sinaia, 130004 Targoviste, Romania
| | - Madalina Elena David
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry & Petrochemistry, ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; Valahia University, Doctoral School of Materials Engineering Department, 13 Aleea Sinaia, 130004 Targoviste, Romania
| | - Elena Ramona Andrei
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry & Petrochemistry, ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Mircea Ioan Filipescu
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry & Petrochemistry, ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Rodica-Mariana Ion
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry & Petrochemistry, ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; Valahia University, Doctoral School of Materials Engineering Department, 13 Aleea Sinaia, 130004 Targoviste, Romania
| | - Zina Vuluga
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry & Petrochemistry, ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Ion Anghel
- Police Academy "Alexandru Ioan Cuza", Fire Officers Faculty, Str. Morarilor 3, Sector 2, 022451 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Ioana-Emilia Sofran
- Police Academy "Alexandru Ioan Cuza", Fire Officers Faculty, Str. Morarilor 3, Sector 2, 022451 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cristian-Andi Nicolae
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry & Petrochemistry, ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Augusta Raluca Gabor
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry & Petrochemistry, ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Anca Gheboianu
- Valahia University, Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Science and Technology, 13 Aleea Sinaia, 130004 Târgoviste, Romania
| | - Ioan Alin Bucurica
- Valahia University, Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Science and Technology, 13 Aleea Sinaia, 130004 Târgoviste, Romania
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Oprea M, Panaitescu DM, Nicolae CA, Gabor AR, Frone AN, Raditoiu V, Trusca R, Casarica A. Nanocomposites from functionalized bacterial cellulose and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate). Polym Degrad Stab 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2020.109203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Panaitescu DM, Vizireanu S, Stoian SA, Nicolae CA, Gabor AR, Damian CM, Trusca R, Carpen LG, Dinescu G. Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) Modified by Plasma and TEMPO-Oxidized Celluloses. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:polym12071510. [PMID: 32646005 PMCID: PMC7408025 DOI: 10.3390/polym12071510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 07/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was surface modified by two approaches, namely a plasma treatment in liquid using a Y-shaped tube for oxygen flow (MCC-P) and a TEMPO mediated oxidation (MCC-T). Both treatments led to the surface functionalization of cellulose as illustrated by FTIR and XPS results. However, TEMPO oxidation had a much stronger oxidizing effect, leading to a decrease of the thermal stability of MCC by 80 °C. Plasma and TEMPO modified celluloses were incorporated in a poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) matrix and they influenced the morphology, thermal, and mechanical properties of the composites (PHB-MCC-P and PHB-MCC-T) differently. However, both treatments were efficient in improving the fiber-polymer interface and the mechanical properties, with an increase of the storage modulus of composites by 184% for PHB-MCC-P and 167% for PHB-MCC-T at room temperature. The highest increase of the mechanical properties was observed in the composite containing plasma modified cellulose although TEMPO oxidation induced a much stronger surface modification of cellulose. This was due to the adverse effect of more advanced degradation in this last case. The results showed that Y-shaped plasma jet oxidation of cellulose water suspensions is a simple and cheap treatment and a promising method of cellulose functionalization for PHB and other biopolymer reinforcements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Mihaela Panaitescu
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (S.A.S.); (C.-A.N.); (A.R.G.)
- Correspondence: (D.M.P.); (S.V.)
| | - Sorin Vizireanu
- National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, Atomistilor 409, Magurele-Bucharest, 077125 Ilfov, Romania; (L.G.C.); (G.D.)
- Correspondence: (D.M.P.); (S.V.)
| | - Sergiu Alexandru Stoian
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (S.A.S.); (C.-A.N.); (A.R.G.)
- Advanced Polymers Materials Group, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Cristian-Andi Nicolae
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (S.A.S.); (C.-A.N.); (A.R.G.)
| | - Augusta Raluca Gabor
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (S.A.S.); (C.-A.N.); (A.R.G.)
| | - Celina Maria Damian
- Advanced Polymers Materials Group, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Roxana Trusca
- Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Lavinia Gabriela Carpen
- National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, Atomistilor 409, Magurele-Bucharest, 077125 Ilfov, Romania; (L.G.C.); (G.D.)
- Faculty of Physics, Bucharest University, 405 Atomistilor Street, Magurele-Bucharest, 077125 Ilfov, Romania
| | - Gheorghe Dinescu
- National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, Atomistilor 409, Magurele-Bucharest, 077125 Ilfov, Romania; (L.G.C.); (G.D.)
- Faculty of Physics, Bucharest University, 405 Atomistilor Street, Magurele-Bucharest, 077125 Ilfov, Romania
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Frone AN, Batalu D, Chiulan I, Oprea M, Gabor AR, Nicolae CA, Raditoiu V, Trusca R, Panaitescu DM. Morpho-Structural, Thermal and Mechanical Properties of PLA/PHB/Cellulose Biodegradable Nanocomposites Obtained by Compression Molding, Extrusion, and 3D Printing. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2019; 10:nano10010051. [PMID: 31878292 PMCID: PMC7023130 DOI: 10.3390/nano10010051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Revised: 12/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Biodegradable blends and nanocomposites were produced from polylactic acid (PLA), poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and cellulose nanocrystals (NC) by a single step reactive blending process using dicumyl peroxide (DCP) as a cross-linking agent. With the aim of gaining more insight into the impact of processing methods upon the morphological, thermal and mechanical properties of these nanocomposites, three different processing techniques were employed: compression molding, extrusion, and 3D printing. The addition of DCP improved interfacial adhesion and the dispersion of NC in nanocomposites as observed by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The carbonyl index calculated from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed increased crystallinity after DCP addition in PLA/PHB and PLA/PHB/NC, also confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry analyses. NC and DCP showed nucleating activity and favored the crystallization of PLA, increasing its crystallinity from 16% in PLA/PHB to 38% in DCP crosslinked blend and to 43% in crosslinked PLA/PHB/NC nanocomposite. The addition of DCP also influenced the melting-recrystallization processes due to the generation of lower molecular weight products with increased mobility. The thermo-mechanical characterization of uncross-linked and cross-linked PLA/PHB blends and nanocomposites showed the influence of the processing technique. Higher storage modulus values were obtained for filaments obtained by extrusion and 3D printed meshes compared to compression molded films. Similarly, the thermogravimetric analysis showed an increase of the onset degradation temperature, even with more than 10 °C for PLA/PHB blends and nanocomposites after extrusion and 3D-printing, compared with compression molding. This study shows that PLA/PHB products with enhanced interfacial adhesion, improved thermal stability, and mechanical properties can be obtained by the right choice of the processing method and conditions using NC and DCP for balancing the properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Nicoleta Frone
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (I.C.); (M.O.); (A.R.G.); (C.-A.N.); (V.R.); (D.M.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +40-21316-3068
| | - Dan Batalu
- Materials Science and Engineering Faculty, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Ioana Chiulan
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (I.C.); (M.O.); (A.R.G.); (C.-A.N.); (V.R.); (D.M.P.)
| | - Madalina Oprea
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (I.C.); (M.O.); (A.R.G.); (C.-A.N.); (V.R.); (D.M.P.)
| | - Augusta Raluca Gabor
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (I.C.); (M.O.); (A.R.G.); (C.-A.N.); (V.R.); (D.M.P.)
| | - Cristian-Andi Nicolae
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (I.C.); (M.O.); (A.R.G.); (C.-A.N.); (V.R.); (D.M.P.)
| | - Valentin Raditoiu
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (I.C.); (M.O.); (A.R.G.); (C.-A.N.); (V.R.); (D.M.P.)
| | - Roxana Trusca
- Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Denis Mihaela Panaitescu
- Polymer Department, National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry ICECHIM, 202 Splaiul Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania; (I.C.); (M.O.); (A.R.G.); (C.-A.N.); (V.R.); (D.M.P.)
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Panaitescu DM, Ionita ER, Nicolae CA, Gabor AR, Ionita MD, Trusca R, Lixandru BE, Codita I, Dinescu G. Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) Modified by Nanocellulose and Plasma Treatment for Packaging Applications. Polymers (Basel) 2018; 10:E1249. [PMID: 30961174 PMCID: PMC6401738 DOI: 10.3390/polym10111249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Revised: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
In this work, a new eco-friendly method for the treatment of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) as a candidate for food packaging applications is proposed. Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) was modified by bacterial cellulose nanofibers (BC) using a melt compounding technique and by plasma treatment or zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle plasma coating for better properties and antibacterial activity. Plasma treatment preserved the thermal stability, crystallinity and melting behavior of PHB‒BC nanocomposites, regardless of the amount of BC nanofibers. However, a remarkable increase of stiffness and strength and an increase of the antibacterial activity were noted. After the plasma treatment, the storage modulus of PHB having 2 wt % BC increases by 19% at room temperature and by 43% at 100 °C. The tensile strength increases as well by 21%. In addition, plasma treatment also inhibits the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli by 44% and 63%, respectively. The ZnO plasma coating led to important changes in the thermal and mechanical behavior of PHB‒BC nanocomposite as well as in the surface structure and morphology. Strong chemical bonding of the metal nanoparticles on PHB surface following ZnO plasma coating was highlighted by infrared spectroscopy. Moreover, the presence of a continuous layer of self-aggregated ZnO nanoparticles was demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy, ZnO plasma treatment completely inhibiting growth of Staphylococcus aureus. A plasma-treated PHB‒BC nanocomposite is proposed as a green solution for the food packaging industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Mihaela Panaitescu
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, Polymer Department, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Eusebiu Rosini Ionita
- National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, Atomistilor 409, Magurele-Bucharest, 077125 Ilfov, Romania.
| | - Cristian-Andi Nicolae
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, Polymer Department, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Augusta Raluca Gabor
- National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, Polymer Department, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Maria Daniela Ionita
- National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, Atomistilor 409, Magurele-Bucharest, 077125 Ilfov, Romania.
| | - Roxana Trusca
- Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Brindusa-Elena Lixandru
- "Cantacuzino" National Medical-Military Institute for Research and Development, 103 Spl. Independentei, 050096 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Irina Codita
- "Cantacuzino" National Medical-Military Institute for Research and Development, 103 Spl. Independentei, 050096 Bucharest, Romania.
- Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bulevardul Eroii Sanitari 8, 050474 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Gheorghe Dinescu
- National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, Atomistilor 409, Magurele-Bucharest, 077125 Ilfov, Romania.
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Purcar V, Şomoghi R, Niţu SG, Nicolae CA, Alexandrescu E, Gîfu IC, Gabor AR, Stroescu H, Ianchiş R, Căprărescu S, Cinteză LO. The Effect of Different Coupling Agents on Nano-ZnO Materials Obtained via the Sol-Gel Process. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2017; 7:nano7120439. [PMID: 29231881 PMCID: PMC5746929 DOI: 10.3390/nano7120439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Revised: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Hybrid nanomaterials based on zinc oxide were synthesized via the sol–gel method, using different silane coupling agents: (3-glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane (GPTMS), phenyltriethoxysilane (PhTES), octyltriethoxysilane (OTES), and octadecyltriethoxysilane (ODTES). Morphological properties and the silane precursor type effect on the particle size were investigated using dynamic light scattering (DLS), environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The bonding characteristics of modified ZnO materials were investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The final solutions were deposited on metallic substrate (aluminum) in order to realize coatings with various wettability and roughness. The morphological studies, obtained by ESEM and TEM analysis, showed that the sizes of the ZnO nanoparticles are changed as function of silane precursor used in synthesis. The thermal stability of modified ZnO materials showed that the degradation of the alkyl groups takes place in the 300–500 °C range. Water wettability study revealed a contact angle of 142 ± 5° for the surface covered with ZnO material modified with ODTES and showed that the water contact angle increases as the alkyl chain from the silica precursor increases. These modified ZnO materials, therefore, can be easily incorporated in coatings for various applications such as anti-corrosion and anti-icing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violeta Purcar
- R&D National Institute for Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Independentei, 6th District, 060021 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Raluca Şomoghi
- R&D National Institute for Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Independentei, 6th District, 060021 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Sabina Georgiana Niţu
- R&D National Institute for Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Independentei, 6th District, 060021 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Cristian-Andi Nicolae
- R&D National Institute for Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Independentei, 6th District, 060021 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Elvira Alexandrescu
- R&D National Institute for Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Independentei, 6th District, 060021 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Ioana Cătălina Gîfu
- R&D National Institute for Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Independentei, 6th District, 060021 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Augusta Raluca Gabor
- R&D National Institute for Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Independentei, 6th District, 060021 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Hermine Stroescu
- Institute of Physical Chemistry "Ilie Murgulescu" of the Romanian Academy, 202 Spl. Independentei, 6th District, 060021 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Raluca Ianchiş
- R&D National Institute for Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM, 202 Spl. Independentei, 6th District, 060021 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Simona Căprărescu
- Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 1-7 Polizu Str., 1st District, 011061 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Ludmila Otilia Cinteză
- Physical Chemistry Department, University of Bucharest, 4-12 Elisabeta Blvd., 1st District, 030118 Bucharest, Romania.
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