Dissolution of superheated steam-treated oil palm biomass fiber in ionic liquid for the production of electrospun nanofiber

The use of ionic liquid has been considered as the emerging method for cellulose processing. In the production of electrospun nanocellulose fiber, dissolution of cellulose in solvent is important in order to ensure the formation of good nanofiber. In this study, oil palm biomass fiber was used for the production of nanofiber. Superheated steam (SHS) treatment was conducted at 260°C for 30 minutes followed by delignification using NaClO3 in order to remove hemicellulose and lignin. Control cellulose sample was prepared by treating the oil palm biomass with KOH and NaClO3. Cellulose obtained was dissolved in combined ionic liquids (IL): 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate and 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride. Effects of cellulose dissolution in different concentrations were also evaluated. Electrospun nanocellulose fiber was successfully obtained by dissolution of SHS-treated oil palm biomass cellulose in the combined ILs. It was found that fiber diameter, morphological structure and spinnability of the nanofiber obtained were greatly influenced by lignin and hemicellulose content. This study revealed the possibility of utilizing lignocellulose from oil palm biomass treated with non-toxic chemicals for nanofiber production. Moreover, it represents a step forward into the search for environmentally friendly methodas an alternative to hazardous chemical pretreatment approach

Performance evaluation and chemical recyclability of a polyethylene/poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) blend for sustainable packaging

In this study, the use of PE and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) blend films for packaging was investigated by evaluating the performance of the plastic blend and its recyclability. It was found that mechanical properties (tensile strength, elongation at break and Young's modulus) of PE/PHBV blend films containing up to 30% PHBV were comparable to those of commercial packaging plastics. Moreover, the addition of PHBV reduced the oxygen transmission rate (OTR) by 19–25% and increased the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) compared to those of neat PE. These properties are greatly applicable for food packaging. Meanwhile, pyrolysis of PE/PHBV films at 310 °C revealed that the PHBV fraction was completely degraded into its volatile monomers and oligomers indicating that the two polymers can be separated from each other. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) analyses of the PHBV pyrolyzates confirmed that there was no contamination from the PE fraction, suggested the possibility of PHBV chemical recycling. Separated PE on the other hand can be further heated for either chemical or mechanical recycling. The ability to recycle PE and PHBV as proposed herewith promotes recycling and cascade utilization of polymeric materials which may contribute positively to the sustainable packaging

Factors affecting spinnability of oil palm mesocarp fiber cellulose solution for the production of microfiber

Cellulose microfiber (MF) formation by electrospinning is affected by several factors. In this paper, fabrication of MF from oil palm mesocarp fiber (OPMF), a biomass residue abundantly available at the palm oil mill, was conducted by electrospinning. The effect of OPMF-cellulose solution properties on the spinnability of the solution was determined. Extracted cellulose from OPMF was dissolved in four different formulations of ionic liquids: (i) ([EMIM]Cl), (ii) ([EMIM][Cl):DMF, (iii) ([EMIM]Cl):([C10MIM][Cl]), and (iv) ([EMIM]Cl):([C10MIM][Cl]):DMF at cellulose concentrations of 1% to 9% (w/v). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed that MF formed had diameter sizes ranging from 200 to 500 nm. MF was formed only at 6% (w/v) cellulose concentration, when DMF was mixed in the solution. The results showed that cellulose concentration and viscosity played major roles in the spinnability of cellulose solution, in which too high viscosity of the cellulose solution caused failure of the electrospinning process and eventually affected the formation of MF. The characteristics of MF obtained herein suggest the potential of OPMF cellulose as a starting material for the production of MF

Characterization of polyethylene nanocomposite prepared by one-pot extrusion method

This study attempts to produce polyethylene (PE) nanocomposites reinforced with cellulose nanofiber (CNF) derived from oil palm mesocarp fibers (OPMF). Unlike other polymers, PE has always been underestimated and it was extensively been used as packaging products. Therefore, instead of being continuously used for the manufacturing of low-value products, the prospect of PE for the manufacturing of high-end products should be identified. In order to do so, the properties of PE needs to be improved and one of the possible method to improve the properties of PE is by reinforcing CNF during composite processing stage. Most conventional methods however required two separated processing; nanofibrillation and composite fabrication. In this study, cellulose extracted from OPMF was nanofibrillated and subsequently fabricated into PE matrix by one-pot extrusion method. Results obtained from this study showed that nanocomposites prepared by one-pot extrusion recorded 57, 93, 198, and 25% higher for tensile strength, Young’s modulus, flexural strength and flexural modulus, respectively compared to the neat PE. This study hence proved that one-pot extrusion method is able to produce nanocomposite with better mechanical properties compared to the neat PE

Effect of oil palm biomass cellulosic content on nanopore structure and adsorption capacity of biochar

The influence of biomass cellulosic content on biochar nanopore structure and adsorption capacity in aqueous phase was scarcely reported. Commercial cellulose (100% cellulose), oil palm frond (39.5% cellulose), and palm kernel shell (20.5% cellulose) were pyrolyzed AT 630 °C, characterized and tested for the adsorption of iodine and organic contaminants. The external surface area and average pore size increased with cellulosic content, where commercial cellulose formed biochar with external surface area of 95.4 m2/g and average pore size of 4.1 nm. The biochar from commercial cellulose had the largest adsorption capacities: 371.40 mg/g for iodine, 86.7 mg/L for tannic acid, 17.89 mg/g for COD and 60.35 mg/g for colour, while biochar from palm kernel shell had the least adsorption capacities. The cellulosic content reflected the differences in biochar nanopore structure and adsorption capacities, signifying the suitability of highly cellulosic biomass for producing biochar to effectively treat wastewater

Superheated steam pretreatment of cellulose affects its electrospinnability for microfibrillated cellulose production

In this study, oil palm mesocarp fiber (OPMF) was pretreated with (1) superheated steam (SHS) and (2) potassium hydroxide (KOH) to remove hemicellulose. Both SHS–OPMF and KOH–OPMF underwent delignification step to isolate the cellulose and dissolved in selected ionic liquid and its co-solvent before being electrospun to obtain microfibrillated cellulose (MFC). FE-SEM images showed that SHS–OPMF cellulose produced discontinuous MFC fiber with diameter ranging from 100 to 500 nm, of which 15.5% were in the range of 100–200 nm; while KOH–OPMF cellulose produced continuous MFC with sizes larger than 200 nm. The differences in fiber size and continuity of fiber produced were due to incomplete removal of hemicellulose from SHS–OPMF sample that inhibited fiber re-coalescence and resulted in interruption in fiber formation

A Mini-review on Oncolytic Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV): From Highly Contagious Virus to a Biological Tool for Cancer Therapy

Newcastle disease virus is a highly contagious viral infection affecting a plethora of avian species with distinct levels of susceptibility. It exerts a significant economic impact in certain countries due to its pathogenic nature, causing high mortality and morbidity rates. It is well characterized that the Newcastle disease virus is among the avian paramyxovirus serotypes, which could be easily disseminated through contaminated feed, water, and others. In view of its capability to thrive in extreme conditions, the exploration of Newcastle disease virus, as an oncolytic agent, has been gaining interest over the last few years. It is widely utilized as a vector in vaccine development for both humans and animals. The versatility in transcription, low deoxyribonucleic acid phase during replication, as well as low recombinant frequency makes Newcastle disease virus a major reason in the development of cancer vaccines. This review highlights the current understanding of its biology, associated with advanced molecular biology tools as oncolytic agents. Given that Newcastle disease virus is still in the early stage of clinical trials as oncolytic agents, deeper exploration of preclinical studies is necessary to ensure its safety and efficacy

The Impact of Polymer Electrolyte Properties on Lithium-Ion Batteries

In recent decades, the enhancement of the properties of electrolytes and electrodes resulted in the development of efficient electrochemical energy storage devices. We herein reported the impact of the different polymer electrolytes in terms of physicochemical, thermal, electrical, and mechanical properties of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Since LIBs use many groups of electrolytes, such as liquid electrolytes, quasi-solid electrolytes, and solid electrolytes, the efficiency of the full device relies on the type of electrolyte used. A good electrolyte is the one that, when used in Li-ion batteries, exhibits high Li+ diffusion between electrodes, the lowest resistance during cycling at the interfaces, a high capacity of retention, a very good cycle-life, high thermal stability, high specific capacitance, and high energy density. The impact of various polymer electrolytes and their components has been reported in this work, which helps to understand their effect on battery performance. Although, single-electrolyte material cannot be sufficient to fulfill the requirements of a good LIB. This review is aimed to lead toward an appropriate choice of polymer electrolyte for LIBs

Emerging development of nanocellulose as an antimicrobial material: An overview

The prolonged survival of microbes on surfaces in high-traffic/high-contact environments drives the need for a more consistent and passive form of surface sterilization to minimize the risk of infection. Due to increasing tolerance to antibiotics among microorganisms, research focusing on the discovery of naturally-occurring biocides with low-risk cytotoxicity properties has become more pressing. The latest research has centred on nanocellulosic antimicrobial materials due to their low-cost and unique features, which are potentially useful as wound dressings, drug carriers, packaging materials, filtration/adsorbents, textiles, and paint. This review discusses the latest literature on the fabrication of nanocellulose-based antimicrobial materials against viruses, bacteria, fungi, algae, and protozoa by employing variable functional groups, including aldehyde groups, quaternary ammonium, metal, metal oxide nanoparticles as well as chitosan. The problems associated with industrial manufacturing and the prospects for the advancement of nanocellulose-based antimicrobial materials are also addressed

Sugar Palm (Arenga Pinnata (Wurmb.) Merr) Cellulosic Fibre Hierarchy: A Comprehensive Approach From Macro To Nano Scale

Sugar palm (Arenga pinnata) fibre is considered as a waste product of the agricultural industry. This paper is investigating the isolation of nanofibrillated cellulose from sugar palm fibres produced by a chemo-mechanical approach, thus opening a new way to utilize waste products more efficiently. Chemical pre-treatments, namely delignification and mercerization processes, were initially involved to extract the sugar palm cellulose. Then, mechanical pre-treatment was performed by passing the sugar palm cellulose through a refiner to avoid clogging in the subsequent process of high pressurized homogenization. Nanofibrillated cellulose was then characterized by its chemical properties (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), physical morphological properties (i.e. scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis), and thermogravimetric analysis.The nanofibres were attained at 500 bar for 15 cycles with 92% yield. The results showed that the average diameter and length of the nanofibrillated cellulose were found to be 5.5 ± 1.0nm and several micrometres, respectively. They also displayed higher crystallinity (81.2%) and thermal stability compared to raw fibres, which served its purpose as an effective reinforcing material for use as bio-nanocomposites. The nanocellulose developed promises to be a very versatile material by having a huge potential in many applications, encompassing bio-packaging to scaffolds for tissue regeneratio