Stretchable,Antifreezing, Non-Drying,and Fast-Response Sensors Based on Cellulose Nanocomposite Hydrogels for Signal Detection

Conductive hydrogels have received widespread attention in the applications of biosensors, human–machine interface, and health recording electrodes. Herein, the conductive hydrogels integrated with antifreezing, water retention, reusable, and sensing performances are fabricated by introducing polyvinyl alcohol, cellulose nanofibril, MXene nanosheets, and glycerol. The as-prepared hydrogels present prominent electrical conductivity (2.58 mS cm⁻¹) and flexibility even at −18 °C. In addition, the hydrogels have favorable water retention performance and can reuse after heating and cooling. When used as sensors, the hydrogels illustrate high sensitivity (gauge factor of 2.30), fast response time (0.165 s), wide working strain range (559%), favorable linearity (R² = 0.999), and wide operating temperature range (−18 to 60 °C). The hydrogels can detect not only large strains of 10–200%, but also small strains of 1–5%, making them promising candidates for wearable sensors to monitor large and subtle movements.     

Characteristics of hemicelluloses obtained from sweet sorghum based on successive extractions

Hemicelluloses were successively extracted from sweet sorghum by hot water, dioxane, DMSO, and different concentrations of NaOH between 0.5% and 6.0%. The yields of the seven fractions together accounted for 88.6% of the original hemicelluloses. The obtained hemicellulosic subfractions were comprehensively investigated by both destructive methods such as alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation and acid hydrolysis and nondestructive techniques such as gel permeation chromatography, Fourier‐transform infrared, ¹³C‐nuclear magnetic resonance, and 2D‐heteronuclear singular quantum correlation. Sugar composition studies showed that the water‐soluble polysaccharides consisted mainly of glucose, while xylose, arabinose, and glucuronic acid were the major sugars in other hemicellulosic fractions. It was found that the hemicelluloses from sweet sorghum were l‐ arabino‐(4‐O‐methyl‐d‐ glucurono)‐xylans. Comparison with the hemicellulosic fractions dissolved by the alkali treatment, the hemicellulosic fraction extracted by DMSO had lower molecular weight. In addition, it was also found that the hemicelluloses prepared by dioxane and DMSO were more branched since that they had higher nonxylose/xylose ratios than those extracted by the alkali treatment, which were more linear and contained higher amounts xylose. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42790.     

Spherical carbons: Synthesis,characterization and activation processes

Spherical carbons have been prepared through hydrothermal treatment of three carbohydrates (glucose, saccharose and cellulose). Preparation variables such as treatment time, treatment temperature and concentration of carbohydrate have been analyzed to obtain spherical carbons. These spherical carbons can be prepared with particle sizes larger than 10 μm, especially from saccharose, and have subsequently been activated using different activation processes (H₃PO₄, NaOH, KOH or physical activation with CO₂) to develop their textural properties. All these spherical carbons maintained their spherical morphology after the activation process, except when KOH/carbon ratios higher than 4/1 were used, which caused partial destruction of the spheres. The spherical activated carbons develop interesting textural properties with the four activating agents employed, reaching surface areas up to 3100 m²/g. Comparison of spherical activated carbons obtained with the different activating agents, taking into account the yields obtained after the activation process, shows that phosphoric acid activation produces spherical activated carbons with higher developed surface areas. Also, the spherical activated carbons present different oxygen groups’ content depending on the activating agent employed (higher surface oxygen groups content for chemical activation than for physical activation).     

Wood Pulp Fiber Wrapped by Fish-Scale Graphene as Flexible and Free-Standing Supercapacitor Electrode

Poplar wood pulp was adopted as both frame and precursor for the synthesis of pulp fiber (PF)/reduced graphene oxide composite via a simple and low-cost method. In this method, the PF based on graphene (PFG) composite film electrode was prepared by a simple vacuum filtration process with various ratios (PF: reduced graphene oxide (RGO)?=?5:1, PF:RGO?=?5:2, PF:RGO?=?5:3, PF:RGO?=?5:4, PF:RGO?=?5:5). In terms of special structures, the PFG can be used as electrodes without metal-collector, adhesives, and additives. The optimal ratio (PF:RGO?=?5:4) film electrode displayed a high areal-specific capacitance of 683 mF/cm² at 1?mA/cm² with a mass of 5.3?mg/cm² (specific capacitance of 129?F/g) and good cycling stability (87.5% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles at 5?mA/cm²) as well as excellent rate capability and high flexibility (suitable for any angle, even 180°). Moreover, the device could possess a maximum energy density of 47.71?μWh/cm² and a maximum power density of 1251?μW/cm². These results suggest that the composite PGF film is a promising electrode material.     

In(OTf)3-catalyzed intermolecular addition of carboxylic acids and phenols to norbornene under solvent-free conditions

A novel efficient and simple protocol to the synthesis of norbornyl ester and ether derivatives catalyzed by In(OTf)₃ under solvent-free conditions is described. This method provides several advantages such as being environmentally friendly, processing high yields and simple work-up procedure.     

Hyperbranched Polyethylenimine Modified Waste Fiberboard Activated Carbon for Enhanced Adsorption of Hexavalent Chromium

The objective of this work is to prepare a hyperbranched polyethylenimine (HBPEI) grafted activated carbon obtained from waste fiberboard for effectively removing Cr(VI) from aqueous solution. The waste fiberboard activated carbon (WFAC) was modified by HBPEI and cross-linked with glutaraldehyde (GA). The optimal modified conditions were as follows: HBPEI molecular weight 10,000 g/mol, HBPEI/WFAC (w/w) 0.5, GA concentration 0.25%, reaction time 60 min. Both pristine WFAC and HBPEI–WFAC were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), and Roman spectra. XPS data showed the obvious increase in nitrogen (from 0.72% to 6.65%) after modification. The results of FTIR and XPS suggested that HBPEI was chemically bonded onto the WFAC by the glutaraldehyde (GA) between the amine groups of WFAC and that of HBPEI. HBPEI was also probably grafted onto WFAC through the intermolecular interaction between the carboxylate groups of WFAC and the amine groups of HBPEI. However, the BET surface area of modified WFAC declined slightly (about 200 m²/g). The I_D/I_G of modified WFAC decreased from 0.92 to 0.82, which indicated that the modification process had no significant effect on the graphitization of activated carbon. The adsorption property onto HBPEI–WFAC and the factors containing contact time, pH value, and Cr(VI) concentration were also investigated. Analysis of the Cr(VI) adsorption data was well simulated by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir adsorption isotherm model, and maximum Cr(VI) uptake of HBPEI–WFAC was 500 mg/g.     

Mussel-inspired adhesive hydrogels based on biomass-derived xylan and tannic acid cross-linked with acrylic acid with antioxidant and antibacterial properties

Journal of Materials Science - Inspired by mussel chemistry, adhesive hydrogels represented by polydopamine (PDA) have been widely studied in many fields such as biomedical applications and...     

半纤维素基水凝胶制备及应用研究进展

半纤维素基水凝胶是一种具有优异保水性、良好生物相容性和力学性能的三维网络状亲水聚合物,在软材料领域尤其是半纤维素基材料研究领域备受瞩目。本文综述了近年来半纤维素基水凝胶的研究进展,从化学交联和物理交联两个方面介绍了半纤维素基水凝胶的制备方法、形成机理和性能,比较了化学交联中光、酶、微波辐射和辉光放电电解等离子体等不同引发体系的差异,总结了半纤维素基水凝胶在药物控释、伤口敷料、高效吸附及3D打印等领域的最新应用和发展,并对半纤维素基水凝胶领域所面临的挑战进行了总结和展望,以期为新型半纤维素水凝胶的研究提供参考。     

Microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of cellulose/ZnO composites and its thermal transformation to ZnO/carbon composites

Development of a simple and rapid method for the preparation of cellulose/ZnO composites is of great importance for broadening and improving their potential applications. In this work, the cellulose/ZnO composites were synthesized via the microwave-assisted hydrothermal method using cellulose, zinc nitrate hexahydrate, and ammonia in an aqueous solution. The influence of the cellulose on ZnO crystals was investigated in detail. Cell cytotoxicity of the as-obtained cellulose/ZnO composites was explored. All the cell viability values of the cellulose/ZnO composites were above 95%, indicating that cellulose/ZnO composites had essentially no cytotoxicity. ZnO/carbon (ZnO/C) composites were obtained by calcination at 600 °C in the N₂ atmosphere using cellulose/ZnO composites as precursors. The flower-shaped ZnO crystals could still maintain their morphologies via the N₂ atmosphere calcination. These ZnO/C composites exhibited good photocatalytic performances under both UV and visible light irradiation. Under the UV light irradiation, the degradation efficiency values of methylene blue and rhodamine B dyes were up to 99% and 97%, respectively. The kinetic linear model curves of the photocatalytic degradation of the two dyes could be assigned to the pseudo-first-order kinetics model. This work provided a potential strategy for the synthesis of metallic oxide/cellulose composites, which have broadened the applications of the composites.     

天然杜仲胶的改性及应用研究进展

杜仲胶（EUG）主要由反式聚异戊二烯组成,是一种具有良好生物相容性、橡塑二重性和优异力学性能的天然高分子材料。近年来,EUG在新型生物基材料领域备受瞩目。EUG在室温下结晶度高,表现为刚性塑料状态,极大程度限制了其在功能材料领域的应用。因此,将EUG进行物理或化学改性,进而拓宽其应用范围已成为近年来的研究热点。本文详细介绍了EUG分子链结构特点,随后从物理改性和化学改性两个方面系统论述了EUG常见的改性方法及机理,如通过与其它材料共混或环氧化改性、硫化改性等改变EUG的硬度及弹性。对EUG在绿色轮胎与公路建设、形状记忆与自修复材料、减震与吸声材料、医用材料、生物降解复合材料等新型功能材料领域的最新研究进展进行了综述,并在此基础上展望了EUG在生物基高性能材料领域的发展前景。