Preparation and characterization of composites from starch with sugarcane bagasse nanofibres

This paper reports on the results of using unbleached sugar cane bagasse nanofibres (average diameter 26.5 nm; aspect ratio 247 assuming a dry fibre density of 1,500 kg/m³) to improve the physico-chemical properties of starch-based films. The addition of bagasse nanofibres (2.5 to 20 wt%) to modified potato starch (i.e. soluble starch) reduced the moisture uptake by up to 17 % at 58 % relative humidity. The film’s tensile strength and Young’s modulus increased by up to 100 % (3.1 to 6.2 MPa) and 300 % (66.3 to 198.3 MPa) respectively with 10 and 20 wt% fibre addition. However, the strain at yield dropped by 50 % for the film containing 10 wt% fibre. Models for composite materials were used to account for the strong interactions between the nanofibres and the starch matrix. The storage and loss moduli as well as the glass transition temperature (T_g) obtained from dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, were increased with the starch-nanofibre films indicating decreased starch chain mobility due to the interacting effect of the nanofibres. Evidence of the existence of strong interactions between the starch matrix and the nanofibres was revealed from detailed Fourier transform infra-red and scanning electron microscopic evaluation.     

Non-isothermal pyrolysis of used lubricating oil and the catalytic effect of carbon-based nanomaterials on the process performance

Pyrolysis is a commonly used method for the recovery of used lubricating oil (ULO), which should be kinetically improved by a catalyst, due to its high level of energy consumption. In this research, the catalytic effects of carbon nanotube (CNT) and graphene nanoplatelets on the pyrolysis of ULO were studied through thermogravimetric analysis. First, the kinetic parameters of ULO pyrolysis including activation energy were calculated to be 170.12 and 167.01 kJ mol^?1 by FWO and KAS methods, respectively. Then, the catalytic effects of CNT and graphene nanoplatelets on pyrolysis kinetics were studied. While CNT had a negligible effect on the pyrolysis process, graphene nanoplatelets significantly reduced the temperature of maximum conversion during pyrolysis from 400 to 350 °C, due to high thermal conductivity and homogenous heat transfer in the pyrolysis process. On the other hand, graphene nanoplatelets maximized the rate of conversion of highly volatile components at lower temperatures (<?100 °C), which was mainly due to the high affinity of these components toward graphene nanoplatelets and also the effect of nanoplatelets’ edges which have free tails and can bond with other molecules. Moreover, graphene nanoplatelets decreased the activation energy of the conversion to 154.48 and 152.13 kJ mol^?1 by FWO and KAS methods, respectively.

     

Efficient Synthesis of 4H-Pyran and Spiro-Oxindole Derivatives Based on Al2O3/V2O5 Nanocomposite as Catalyst

Russian Journal of Organic Chemistry - A simple and eco-friendly catalytic alternative has been proposed for one-pot three-component synthesis of 4H-pyrane and spiro-oxindole derivatives, as two...     

N?H···S and S?H···N intramolecular hydrogen bond in β‐thioaminoacrolein: A quantum chemical study

The conformational study of β‐thioaminoacrolein was performed at various theoretical levels, HF, B3LYP, and MP2 with 6‐311++G(d,p) basis set, and the equilibrium conformations were determined. To have more reliable energies, the total energies of all conformers were recomputed at high‐level ab initio methods, G2MP2, G3, and CBS‐QB3. According to these calculations, the intramolecular hydrogen bond is accepted as the origin of conformational preference in thialamine (TAA) and thiolimine groups. The hydrogen bond strength in various resonance‐assisted hydrogen bond systems was evaluated by HB energy, geometrical parameters, topological parameters, and charge transfers corresponding to orbital interactions. Furthermore, our results reveal that the TAA tautomer has extra stability with respect to the other tautomers. The population analyses of the possible conformations by NBO predict that the origin of this preference is mainly due to the π‐electron delocalization in framework of TAA forms, especially usual π_C?C → π*_C?S and Lp (N) → π*_C?C charge transfers. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

Reinvestigation of intramolecular hydrogen bond in malonaldehyde derivatives: An ab initio,AIM and NBO study

The RAHB systems in malonaldehyde and its derivatives at MP2/ 6‐311++G(d,p) level of theory were studied and their intramolecular hydrogen bond energies by using the related rotamers method was obtained. The topological properties of electron density distribution in O? H···O intramolecular hydrogen bond have been analyzed in term of quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM). Correlations between the H‐bond strength and topological parameters are probed. The results of QTAIM clearly showed that the linear correlation between the electron density distribution at HB critical point and RAHB ring critical point with the corresponding hydrogen bond energies was obtained. Moreover, it was found a linear correlation between the electronic potential energy density, V(r_cp), and hydrogen bond energy which can be used as a simple equation for evaluation of HB energy in complex RAHB systems. Finally, the similar linear treatment between the geometrical parameters, such as O···O or O? H distance, and Lp(O)→σ*_OH charge transfer energy with the intramolecular hydrogen bond energy is observed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

Modified carbon nanotubes as a sorbent for solid-phase extraction of gold,and its determination by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

A simple, sensitive and accurate method was developed for solid-phase extraction and preconcentration of trace levels of gold in various samples. It is based on the adsorption of gold on modified oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes prior to its determination by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The type and volume of eluent solution, sample pH value, flow rates of sample and eluent, sorption capacity and breakthrough volume were optimized. Under these conditions, the method showed linearity in the range of 0.2–6.0 ng L⁻¹ with coefficients of determination of >0.99 in the sample. The relative standard deviation for seven replicate determinations of gold (at a level of 0.6 ng L⁻¹) is ±3.8 %, the detection limit is 31 pg L⁻¹ (in the initial solution and at an S/N ratio of 3; for n = 8), and the enrichment factor is 200. The sorption capacity of the modified MWCNTs for gold(III) is 4.15 mg g⁻¹. The procedure was successfully applied to the determination of gold in (spiked) water samples, human hair, human urine and standard reference material with recoveries ranging from 97.0 to 104.2 %.

A sorbent based on modified carbon nanotubes was prepared and used to extract gold ion from various samples prior to its determination by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

     

Facile synthesis of highly substituted 2-pyrone derivatives via a tandem Knoevenagel condensation/lactonization reaction of β-formyl-esters and 1,3-cyclohexadiones

A mild and efficient tandem process for the synthesis of new highly substituted 2-pyrones starting from commercially available 2-arylacetic acids has been developed. The synthesis is based on the Knoevenagel condensation of 1,3-cyclohexadiones with various β-formyl-esters, followed by lactonization in the presence of nano ZnO (20 mol %). Moderate to high yields and readily available cheap starting materials are the key features of the present method.     

A new molecularly imprinted polymer for selective extraction and pre‐concentration of guaifenesin in different samples: Adsorption studies and kinetic modeling

This paper describes the synthesis of a molecularly imprinted polymer by chemical oxidation of pyrrole as the functional monomer, and at the presence of guaifenesin as the template. The prepared polymer was used as adsorbent in molecularly imprinted solid‐phase extraction followed by spectrophotometric determination. Different parameters in the solid‐phase extraction including sample pH, adsorbent weight, washing solution, and elution solvent were studied to determine optimum conditions for isolation and enrichment of guaifenesin. The results showed guaifenesin was quantitatively adsorbed on the molecularly imprinted polymer at pH 6.0 and completely eluted with an ethanol–water solution (50% v/v). An enrichment factor of four with satisfactory recoveries (87.0–95.0%) was obtained. The solid‐phase extraction columns could be used for up to six consecutive elution‐loading cycles without significant decreases in the analyte recoveries. The method had a dynamic range of 3.0 × 10^?6–1.5 × 10^?4 mol/L with a limit of detection and limit of quantification of 1.4×10^?6 and 4.5×10^?6 mol/L, respectively. The proposed procedure was used for the extraction and determination of guaifenesin in different pharmaceutical formulations, with satisfying results being achieved.     

Synthesis of Novel Polycyclic Indole‐Annulated Thiopyranocoumarin Derivatives via Domino Knoevenagel–Hetero‐Diels–Alder Reaction in Aqueous Media

An efficient synthesis of polycyclic indole derivatives is achieved via domino Knoevenagel–hetero‐Diels–Alder reaction of O‐acrylated salicylaldehyde derivatives with dihydroindole‐2‐thiones in H₂O as solvent. The products are formed in good‐to‐excellent yields with high regio‐ and stereoselectivity.