Recent Advances in Bioinspired Polymers

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomacromolecules, Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 May 2024 | Viewed by 3727

Special Issue Editors

Assistant Professor, Bio-Refining Research Chair in Lignocellulosic Materials Development, Faculty of Natural Resources Management, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, ON P7B 5E1, Canada
Interests: nanomaterials; eco-friendly composites; nanocellulose; eco-products
Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Quebec, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada
Interests: polymers; catalysts; fuel cells; hydrogen; hydrogen storage
Laboratoire de Biomatériaux, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Rouyn-Noranda, QC J9X 5E4, Canada
Interests: biomaterials; biocomposites; bioenergy; materials characterization; wood processing and valorization
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Mother nature a valuable source of inspiration and enthusiasm for advances in material sciences and technology. Emerging material sciences are trying to copy natural-based phenomena that have evolved in nature. Learning from bio-inspired principles empowers researchers to understand, design, and advance high-performance structures and products that are capable both of meeting current demand and addressing increasing climate change concerns. Bio-inspired lignocellulose-based nanomaterials are promising for potential applications in developing unprecedented products. The importance of these nanomaterials is tremendous, ranging from advanced applications in bionanocomposites, drug delivery, tissue engineering, and sensors, thanks to their attractive and excellent characteristics such as abundance, high aspect ratio, excellent mechanical properties, renewability, and biocompatibility. Thus, innovation via bio-inspired lignocellulosic nanomaterials has produced some great advances in multifunctional applications through applying bio-mimetic strategies. Therefore, recent advances in nanotechnology have been explored in order to isolate and engineer nanomaterials from different biological origins and to provide unprecedented features for advancing low-carbon or carbon-free nanobiocomposites. A key aspect of this Special Issue is the search for new strategies in the acquisition and use of lignocellulosic materials with an emphasis on both economic sustainability and energy efficiency.

Dr. Seyed Rahman Djafari Petroudy
Dr. Samaneh Shahgaldi
Prof. Dr. Ahmed Koubaa
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • bio-inspired
  • nanomaterials
  • lignocellulose
  • bionanocomposites
  • sustainability

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2819 KiB  
Article
Copper-Doped Carbon Nanodots with Superior Photocatalysis, Directly Obtained from Chromium-Copper-Arsenic-Treated Wood Waste
by Dan Xing, Ahmed Koubaa, Yubo Tao, Sara Magdouli, Peng Li, Hassine Bouafif and Jingfa Zhang
Polymers 2023, 15(1), 136; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15010136 - 28 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1374
Abstract
An ecofriendly approach was developed for preparing copper-doped carbon dots (CDs) with superior photocatalysis using chromium-copper-arsenic (CCA)-treated wood waste as a precursor. Original wood (W-CDs), CCA-treated wood (C-CDs), and bioremediation CCA wood (Y-CDs) were used as the precursors. The chemical composition and structural, [...] Read more.
An ecofriendly approach was developed for preparing copper-doped carbon dots (CDs) with superior photocatalysis using chromium-copper-arsenic (CCA)-treated wood waste as a precursor. Original wood (W-CDs), CCA-treated wood (C-CDs), and bioremediation CCA wood (Y-CDs) were used as the precursors. The chemical composition and structural, morphological, and optical properties, as well as the photocatalytic ability of the synthesized CDs varied with wood type. The C-CDs and W-CDs had similar characteristics: quasispherical in shape and with a diameter of 2 to 4.5 nm. However, the Y-CDs particles were irregular and stacked together, with a size of 1.5–3 nm. The presence of nitrogen prevented the formation of an aromatic structure for those CDs fabricated from bioremediation CCA wood. The three synthesized CDs showed a broad absorption peak at 260 nm and a weak absorption peak at 320 nm. Proof of the model study for the fabrication of luminescent CDs from CCA wood waste for bioimaging was provided. The degradation rate of CD photocatalytic MB was 97.8% for 30 min. Copper doping gives the CDs electron acceptor properties, improving their photocatalytic efficiency. This study provides novel ways to prepare nanomaterials from decommissioned wood as a nontoxic and low-cost alternative to fluorescent dots. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Bioinspired Polymers)
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14 pages, 4410 KiB  
Article
Trimetallic Nanoalloy of NiFeCo Embedded in Phosphidated Nitrogen Doped Carbon Catalyst for Efficient Electro-Oxidation of Kraft Lignin
by Ana Maria Borges Honorato, Mohmmad Khalid, Antonio Aprigio da Silva Curvelo, Hamilton Varela and Samaneh Shahgaldi
Polymers 2022, 14(18), 3781; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14183781 - 09 Sep 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1627
Abstract
Recently, electro-oxidation of kraft lignin has been reported as a prominent electrochemical reaction to generate hydrogen at lower overpotential in alkaline water electrolysis. However, this reaction is highly limited by the low performance of existing electrocatalysts. Herein, we report a novel yet effective [...] Read more.
Recently, electro-oxidation of kraft lignin has been reported as a prominent electrochemical reaction to generate hydrogen at lower overpotential in alkaline water electrolysis. However, this reaction is highly limited by the low performance of existing electrocatalysts. Herein, we report a novel yet effective catalyst that comprises nonprecious trimetallic (Ni, Fe, and Co) nanoalloy as a core in a phosphidated nitrogen-doped carbon shell (referred to as sample P-NiFeCo/NC) for efficient electro-oxidation of kraft lignin at different temperatures in alkaline medium. The as-synthesized catalyst electro-oxidizes lignin only at 0.2 V versus Hg/HgO, which is almost three times less positive potential than in the conventional oxygen evolution reaction (0.59 V versus Hg/HgO) at 6.4 mA/cm2 in 1 M KOH. The catalyst demonstrates a turnover frequency (TOF) three to five times greater in lignin containing 1 M KOH than that of pure 1 M KOH. More importantly, the catalyst P-NiFeCo/NC shows theoretical hydrogen production of about 0.37 μmoles/min in the presence of lignin, much higher than that in pure 1 M KOH (0.0078 μ moles/min). Thus, this work verifies the benefit of the NiFeCo nanoalloy incorporated in carbon matrix, providing the way to realize a highly active catalyst for the electro-oxidation of kraft lignin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Bioinspired Polymers)
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