A facile technique to combine natural compounds and metal organic frameworks (MOFs) that produces a well-structured membrane with unparalleled separation performances was designed. Our synthesized ...membrane enables ultra-fast, low-pressure, precise separations for both solvent purification via organic solvent nanofiltration and desalination – key membrane-based processes for efficiently tackling worldwide water crisis.
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•Natural-driven nanocomposite membranes was first fabricated.•A sub-214 nm-thick selective layer was synthesized by natural materials.•The novel membrane has an extraordinary stability even in strong solvent environment.•The membranes exhibited high rejection against angstrom-sized contaminants.
Synthetic polymer membranes can potentially reduce the large energy and carbon footprints that are typically associated with traditional chemical separation technologies. Unfortunately, current production protocols negate the green benefits of membrane separation. To address this bottleneck, here we report the use of natural materials monosaccharide – glucose and polydopamine and Zr-based metal organic frameworks (MOFs) to fabricate ultrathin nanocomposite membranes via interfacial polymerization reaction. The synergistic effect of these three materials on angstrom-scale molecular transport both in organic solvent and aqueous environment was elucidated using a series of complementary techniques. We demonstrate such nature-inspired nanocomposite membranes enable structural stability even in polar aprotic solvents, and unparalleled ultra-fast, low-pressure, precise separations in both nanofiltration modes, which easily surpass state-of-the-art membranes relying on unsustainable materials. The multi-functionality of saccharide nanocomposites was elegantly harnessed to impact separation applications that contribute towards a better living environment.
There is a large amount of studies surrounding the usage of agro-industrial waste (AIW) for the adsorptions of organic pollutants (dyes) and inorganic pollutants (heavy metals) in water/wastewater. ...This method is normally treated as an alternative approach to the conventional water/wastewater treatment. However, there are some increasing interests for investigators to identify novel adsorption materials for pollutants removal. It is particularly noteworthy that most AIW wastes are not currently used at the original state, but modified in a variety of ways to reinforce the porosity and adsorption surface area of the material. Nanostructuring, activation, carbonization, and grafting are some common modification technologies of agricultural waste adsorbents. Besides, the characteristic, preparation and application of adsorbents from various industrial wastes, including natural materials and biosorbents, were summarized. Additionally, the challenges and perspectives for future researches of waste-derived adsorbents were studied. This review provides an important insight on using AIWs as precursor materials for preparing adsorbents in water/wastewater treatment.
•Waste materials from agro-industry were used as adsorbents to remove pollutants.•Various modification methods for AIW were introduced.•The characteristic, preparation and application of AIW were summarized.•The challenges and perspectives of AIW for future researches were studied.
Natural materials are becoming a valid alternative to traditional synthetic ones for sound absorption treatments. In particular, in recent years, natural fibers have been considered valid raw ...materials for producing sound absorbing panels at a reduced cost. Moreover, these fibers often have good thermal insulation properties, have no harmful effects on health, and are available in large quantities often as a waste product of other production cycles. Following a literature review of previous studies about the acoustic properties of some natural materials, this paper reports the acoustical characterization of the following natural fibers: kenaf, wood, hemp, coconut, cork, cane, cardboard, and sheep wool. The absorption coefficient and the flow resistance for samples of different thickness have been measured. By using existing theoretical models, this study also compares the measured behavior with the theoretically predicted behavior. This comparison shows the limits of theoretical models originally defined for porous materials with homogeneous fibers, when they are applied to natural materials. Finally, some suggestions for use of these natural fibers for sound absorption applications in buildings are reported.
•Natural fibers are a valid option for sound absorption treatments.•Kenaf, wood, hemp, coconut, cork, cane, cardboard, and sheep wool are characterized.•The airflow resistivity and the sound absorption coefficient are measured.•Given their inhomogeneity, natural fibers often do not agree to the Delany–Bazley model.•Existing theoretical models fail in considering the inhomogeneity of natural fibers.
•Lignocellulosic bio-wastes from forest management and agro-industry as building materials are reviewed.•Some bio-wastes produced in Euro-Mediterranean countries are selected.•Studies on ...eco-efficient boards made of natural fibers and other bio-wastes are analysed.•Further studies on properties of bio-wastes and eco-efficient boards are needed.
This study investigates the possibility of using agro-industrial wastes for building products, mainly focusing on their insulation properties. A classification of bio-wastes is provided, namely of the lignocellulosic ones and their features and properties are described. Information about three main topics is collected: world production and consumption of some crops already used as building materials, their chemical composition and their most studied properties. Since the considered materials are lignocellulosic and they have many common features, a comparison is made. The aim is to have comparable information to support future research related to the production of eco-efficient indoor insulation boards. The result of this research is the choice of four different agro-industrial wastes produced in the Euro-Mediterranean Countries. This area was chosen as buildings typically have little or no insulation due to the regional mild climate; however, particularly with climate change, indoor hygrothermal comfort is poor. The collection of information allows some conclusions to be reached about the different bio-wastes already studied and identify gaps in the literature.
Since the beginning of the current millennium, innovations in food packaging systems have evolved as response to the continuous changes in market trends and consumer’s preferences for convenient, ...safe, healthy and quality food products. Active packaging (AP) system provides such functionalities to facilitate these demands and offers role beyond the traditional protection and inert barrier to the external environment. Various AP components such as antimicrobials, antioxidants, O2 scavengers, CO2 emitters/absorbers, moisture regulators, flavor releasers, and absorbers have been deliberately included in the package system for augmenting packaging performance. These constituents delay or stop chemical, microbial, enzymatic and oxidative spoilage, control weight loss, retain color and integrity of meat based products. Currently, the use of edible or biodegradable materials, plant extracts and nanomaterials are expected to substitute synthetic additives due to their packaging and waste management notions. This article reviews the principles and technological advances as well as the global patents and future research trends in AP sector with their applications focused on meat products.
•Use of AP technologies minimize hazards and enhance the quality and safety of muscle foods from farm to fork.•Technological breakthroughs in AP sector lead to microbial growth inhibition, delayed oxidation and moisture regulation.•The use plant extracts and nano-particles in AP seem very promising.•Industrial recognitions and consumer acceptance about the efficacy of this system are crucial for commercial realizations.
•Waste and natural materials for corrosion inhibition of steel are reviewed in this work.•Their experimental as well as computational investigations are explained.•Their popularity and working ...mechanisms are discussed in detail.•The challenges in their application and future strategy to overcome them are explained.•This review comprises analysis of 110 works (1987-2023), which provides a broader overview.
Inhibitors have been proven successful and effective in controlling corrosion rates. However, their cost and harmful side effects are bothering them. Hence, natural materials (NMs) are in high demand for many years. NMs are considered a rich source of various active molecules that can build a protective layer to shield metals in corrosive environments. Based on the reported results, the NMs are found to be highly efficient (>95 % in some cases). The reason is adsorption of their phytochemicals on metals and blockage of corrosive molecules to the surface. Theoretical approaches like density functional theory (DFT) calculations and Monte Carlo (MC) as well as molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, are also used for accessing and comparing their performance. To achieve more economic and environment-friendly inhibition, waste natural materials (WNMs) have also been widely investigated. All the investigations advocated that they are very useful and could be a good replacement for synthetic inhibitors for various applications. However, there are some associated challenges, too. Their degradation at high temperatures, the inability of long-term protection, high concentrations in some cases, a reduced life cycle, the need for dedicated purification, efficient synthesis procedures, and more scientific selection are the few major challenges. This review provides a view of the NMs and WNMs that have been used for corrosion protection in various applications in the last twenty years and discusses their utilities, challenges, and future scopes, with additional details based on the analysis.
The development of electronic devices possessing the functionality of biological synapses is a crucial step toward replicating the capabilities of the human brain. Of the various materials that have ...been used to realize artificial synapses, renewable natural materials have the advantages of being abundant, inexpensive, biodegradable, and ecologically benign. In this study, we report a biocompatible artificial synapse based on a matrix of the biopolymer ι-carrageenan (ι-car), which exploits Ag dynamics. This artificial synapse emulates the short-term plasticity (STP), paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), and transition from STP to long-term potentiation (LTP) of a biological synapse. The above-mentioned characteristics are realized by exploiting the similarities between the Ag dynamics in the ι-car matrix and the Ca2+ dynamics in a biological synapse. By demonstrating a method that uses biomaterials and Ag dynamics to emulate synaptic functions, this study confirms that ι-car has the potential for constructing neuromorphic systems that use biocompatible artificial synapses.
Abstract
Salt deteriorations can ruin the appearance as well as the structure of buildings. Salt deteriorations can be mitigated by passive and active methods. Common active methods include ...sprinkling water on the structure, scraping off the concentrated salts from the surface and the use of sacrificial plasters. Sacrificial plasters are traditionally used for desalination. Two tests at different sites were performed in order to determine the effectiveness of desalination of different sacrificial plasters. The first test site was a two hundred years old stable wall in Mooste county, Estonia. Salt percentage by mass in the test wall was determined in 2017 and again in 2019. In December 2019 different plasters of local natural clay and lime with additives such as hemp flax, charcoal and turf were tested on the wall. The second test was performed on burnt clay bricks that were placed into salt solution until efflorescence appeared. For desalination process again, different clay and lime based sacrificial plasters were used. After removing the sacrificial plaster, samples from the mortar and bricks were taken to measure the salt content by using Ion chromatography. Clay and hemp flax based sacrificial plasters were the most suitable for desalination and removal.
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