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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Contact Dewatering Of Cellulose Nanofibers For Biopolymer Composite Applications, Alexander Collins Aug 2022

Contact Dewatering Of Cellulose Nanofibers For Biopolymer Composite Applications, Alexander Collins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cellulose Nanofibrils (CNFs) are promising materials for reinforcement of polymer matrices attributable to their impressive physical and mechanical properties, as well as their biodegradability. However, the utilization of these materials in composites is made challenging by the water content of CNF slurries, the tendency of CNFs to agglomerate as they dry, and incompatibility between hydrophilic CNFs and hydrophobic polymer matrices. The most commercially viable drying methods to produce small-scale dry CNFs, such as spray drying, are very energy intensive, can only dry the materials down to micron-scale agglomerates, and do not preserve fibrillar aspect ratios. “Contact dewatering,” or the removal …


Degumming Of Hemp Fibers Using Combined Microwave Energy And Deep Eutectic Solvent, Bulbul Ahmed Jul 2021

Degumming Of Hemp Fibers Using Combined Microwave Energy And Deep Eutectic Solvent, Bulbul Ahmed

LSU Master's Theses

Hemp is considered as one of the sustainable agricultural fiber materials. Degumming or surface modification of hemp bast is needed to produce single fibers for ensuing textile and industrial applications. The traditional degumming process necessitates a high amount of alkali, which causes detrimental environmental pollution. This study offers a new method to degum hemp fibers with reduced use of harmful alkali and precious water resources. In this work, hemp bast fibers were degummed by using combined microwave energy and deep eutectic solvent (DES). The properties of hemp fibers manufactured by this method were investigated and compared with the traditional alkali …


Cellulose Based Separator For High-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries, Akshit Vaidya Apr 2020

Cellulose Based Separator For High-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries, Akshit Vaidya

Masters Theses

During the past two decades, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have gained great success in the field of portable devices, and currently, are penetrating to the market of vehicles. Compared to the fast development of LIBs, little efforts have been dedicated to the separator, which is one of the most important components of LIBs. Primarily, the lithium-ion battery separator has two functions, one is to prevent direct contact between the positive and negative electrodes, and the other is to provide a path for effective ionic transportation. Currently, the separator market of LIBs is dominated by polyolefin materials such as polypropylene, polyethylene, and …


Multivariate Statistical Analyses For Studying Kenaf Germination, Growth, And Fiber Production Under Salinity Constraint, Rekaya Ayadi, Rayda Ben Ayed, Nejla Lassoued, Hichem Ben Salem, Mohamed Larbi Khouja, Lamia Hamrouni, Mohsen Hanana Jan 2018

Multivariate Statistical Analyses For Studying Kenaf Germination, Growth, And Fiber Production Under Salinity Constraint, Rekaya Ayadi, Rayda Ben Ayed, Nejla Lassoued, Hichem Ben Salem, Mohamed Larbi Khouja, Lamia Hamrouni, Mohsen Hanana

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

It is due to the lack of renewable fiber sources for industrial purposes that the need for finding available and alternative material has become imperative. Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.), a fast-growing industrial crop, would be a potential solution for valorizing salinized lands and/or soils irrigated with saline water. With the aim of selecting and valorizing salt-tolerant species with high fiber yields and industrial values, we launched the assessment of the performance of kenaf culture (var. Guangdong 743-2) under salinity constraints. Germination and vegetative stages were considered in the present study to better evaluate the whole life cycle of the species. …


Development Of A Ligno-Cellulosic Polymeric And Reinforced Sheet Molding Compound (Smc), Ryan Harris Mills Jan 2009

Development Of A Ligno-Cellulosic Polymeric And Reinforced Sheet Molding Compound (Smc), Ryan Harris Mills

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The overall objective of this dissertation was to study the surface energy and acid-base characteristics of natural fibers, glass, a wood extract, and a sheet molding compound prepreg to facilitate the fabrication of totally synthetic and partially renewable sheet molding compounds (SMCs). The water absorption and micro-mechanical performance of the totally synthetic and partially renewable SMC composites were compared through accelerated aging experiments. Reinforcing glass sized for polyester, bast kenaf fibers, hot water extract from Acer rubrum, and a dicyclopentadiene modified polyester prepreg were analyzed by inverse gas chromatography to evaluate and help predict how the various components may interact …


Towards A Systems Approach To Understanding Plant Cell Walls, Chris R. Somerville, Stefan Bauer, Ginger Brininstool, Michelle Facette, Thorsten Hamann, Jennifer Milne, Erin Osborne, Alex Paradez, Staffan Persson, Ted K. Raab, Sonja Vorwerk, Heather Youngs Dec 2004

Towards A Systems Approach To Understanding Plant Cell Walls, Chris R. Somerville, Stefan Bauer, Ginger Brininstool, Michelle Facette, Thorsten Hamann, Jennifer Milne, Erin Osborne, Alex Paradez, Staffan Persson, Ted K. Raab, Sonja Vorwerk, Heather Youngs

Ted K. Raab

One of the defining features of plants is a body plan based on the physical properties of cell walls. Structural analyses of the polysaccharide components, combined with highresolution imaging, have provided the basis for much of the current understanding of cell walls. The application of genetic methods has begun to provide new insights into how walls are made, how they are controlled, and how they function. However, progress in integrating biophysical, developmental, and genetic information into a useful model will require a system-based approach.


Crystalline Structure Properties Of Bleached And Unbleached Wheat Straw (Triticum Aestivum L.) Soda-Oxygen Pulp, Esat Gümüşkaya, Mustafa Usta Jan 2002

Crystalline Structure Properties Of Bleached And Unbleached Wheat Straw (Triticum Aestivum L.) Soda-Oxygen Pulp, Esat Gümüşkaya, Mustafa Usta

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

In this study, the crystallinity index and crystallite size of wheat straw powder, soda-oxygen pulp and soda oxygen pulp bleached with hypochlorite (H) and hypochlorite and peroxide (HP) sequences were determined using an x-ray diffractometer method. The crystallinity indexes of these pulp samples were found to be 45.61%, 52.00%, 52.60% and 54.11%, respectively. The crystallite sizes of these pulp samples were also determined and were 6.4 nm, 3.4 nm, 4.3 nm and 4.6 nm, respectively. On the other hand, the crystallinity index and crystallite size of holocellulose, cellulose and alpha-cellulose in wheat straw were then found to be 65.00%, 55.20% …