Assessment of the delivery of citronella oil from microcapsules supported on wool fabrics

Essential oils are complex, volatile liquid mixtures that can be extracted from various parts of plants. Their main characteristics are strong fragrance and biological properties. Studying the characteristics of oils along with the possibility of an interaction with textiles creates new possible uses of this material. However, when oil is applied to a textile substrate, it is necessary to develop an oil release model, while most of the works only explore the application procedure and the fixed oil durability against washes. Thus, this work reports the mechanism and kinetics of controlled release of microencapsulated citronella oil from wool. The microencapsulation was done by complex coacervation with gelatin and gum Arabic biopolymers as shell materials. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were used to confirm the encapsulation. The microcapsules were then supported by foulard in wool, fixed on fabrics and evaluated by attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The controlled release of citronella from the microcapsules deposited on the fabric was studied in vitro. The microcapsules formed had a multi-core structure, and when applied to wool they showed diffusion by a Fickian mechanism in the first release stage and on the second stage changed to non-Fickian kinetics. The controlled release indicates that the textile structure influences the release model due to an interaction between fabric and waterPostprint (author's final draft

ß-Cyclodextrin: Disperse yellow 211 complexes improve coloristic intensity of polyamide dyed knits

Dyes are complex molecules that can sometimes cause damage to the aquatic environment and harm human health. They are often not completely removed from effluent by the usual treatments; therefore, efforts have been made to increase their exhaustion from dyeing through chemical and physical processes. In this context, the use of ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) as dyeing auxiliary agent promotes the reduction of harmful products, also increasing the color intensity of the fabric. In this paper, ß-CD was used as a complexing agent to dye polyamide (PA) using the dye C.I. Disperse Yellow 211 (DY211) in order to improve dye exhaustion and color intensity using the ß-CD:DY211 complex. The conventional dyeing process and ß-CD:DY211 dyeing process by exhaustion were compared, and adsorption kinetics, isotherms, and the coloristic intensity were evaluated. The chemical shifts in the FTIR spectra and the thermal stability evidenced the formation of the ß-CD:DY211 complex. Regarding dyeing kinetics and isotherm, the pseudo-first-order model was the most appropriate to describe the process, while Nernst isotherm was the one that best represented the adsorption results. Categorically, the samples dyed with the ß-CD:DY211 complex obtained higher coloristic intensity in comparison with the conventional process. With this evidence, it is possible to conclude that cyclodextrin is a suitable replacement for environmentally harmful textile aides without adding further steps into the dyeing process or the need for additional equipmentPostprint (author's final draft

Nanopartículas de sílica silanizada como compatibilizante em compósitos de fibras de sisal/polietileno

Resumo Foi discutida neste estudo a influência de nanopartículas de sílica na compatibilidade entre fibras de sisal e polietileno de alta densidade, utilizados na preparação de compósitos. As fibras de sisal foram tratadas quimicamente e recobertas com nanopartículas de sílica por moagem mecânica. Os compósitos foram preparados por extrusão do polietileno com diferentes quantidades de fibras. Utilizou-se diferentes técnicas de caracterização para se obter as propriedades térmicas e a morfologia das fibras de sisal e dos compósitos, a influência das fibras de sisal e da sílica na cristalinidade do polietileno e o comportamento mecânico e a absorção de água do polietileno e dos compósitos. Foi observado que a as propriedades térmicas do polietileno não são afetadas pela presença das fibras e nanopartículas. Os diferentes tratamentos químicos e a presença de sílica nas fibras de sisal resultaram em propriedades mecânicas melhoradas e foram preponderantes para a diminuição da absorção de água nos compósitos, comparados ao polietileno

Analysis of physical, chemical e mechanical properties of wood-particle boards containing biaxially oriented polypropylene

Considering the increased generation of solid waste and the difficulty of proper final disposal, it is of utmost importance to study the reuse of solid waste, seeking a beneficial alternative for the population and the environment. This study aimed to produce wood particle boards incorporated with different percentage of waste from the manufacture of labels and tags, commonly known as paper shavings, containing biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP), aiming its reuse. Physical, chemical and mechanical tests were performed. The difference in density between the materials used to manufacture the boards influenced the production process as well as the amount of waste added. Values of moisture content and thickness swelling remained within the range set by the regulations. The results for water absorption analysis are in agreement with those in the literature on the incorporation of different types of waste in the boards. According to our findings, it was observed the importance of a homogeneous mixture of the materials, and pH control. The incorporation of waste containing BOPP into particle boards may be a promising disposal alternative for this waste, given the development of a by-product that encourages sustainable development.

Unprecedented Low-Cost Hybrid Material for CO 2 and CH 4 Separation

Abstract: The zeolite synthesis using waste as silicon source is a promising low-cost process. Sugarcane bagasse ash is a hazardous solid waste generated in large amounts in the sugar industry. Thus, development of new procedures for its productive reuse is relevant. Therefore, this waste was used to prepare a new ZCNT (zeolite/carbon nanotube material). In this work, ZCNT was applied in a CO 2 /CH 4 separation. The adsorption took place at 303 K under pressure of 0.1 until 20 bar and the data were fitted by Langmuir, Toth and Freundlich equations. The adsorbed amount at 20 bar found was 4.7 mmol of CO 2 /g and 4.1 mmol of CH 4 /g; at 3 bar the adsorbed amount was 4.1 mmol of CO 2 /g and 1.2 mmol of CH 4 /g. This result indicates that ZCNT has potential application in CO 2 /CH 4 separation at low pressures

Mechanical recycling of tags and labels residues using sugarcane bagasse ash

Abstract In this study, an alternative method for recycling residues of labels and stickers (parings) containing biaxically oriented polypropylene (BOPP) and polyurethane-based glue was discussed. The recycling of this type of material is complicated, once the separation and the milling processes are difficult to be accomplished, due to the presence of a large amount of glue. In this study, sugarcane bagasse ash was used to enable the milling process of stickers residues. Composites were prepared with post-consumer polypropylene extrusion with different polypropylene/parings ash ratio. These materials were analyzed by tensile, three point flexural, hardness, density, water absorption, Izod impact tests, thermogravimetric analysis, environmental exposure and scanning electron microscopy. Addition of sticker residues/ash to the polypropylene matrix makes the material more rigid and does not affect significantly thermal and degradation properties. Thus, the recycling process proposed in this paper is environmentally and economically viable

Influence of addition of silanized nanosilica and glycerol on hydrophobicity of starch using a factorial design

Abstract The thermoplastic starch (TPS) is regarded as a promising material for manufacturing packaging and products with biodegradable properties. This study aimed at obtaining hydrophobic starch using silanized silica nanoparticles (nSS) with hexamethyldisilazane. A factorial design 22 with central point was developed to evaluate the influence of glycerol (plasticizer) and nSS addition on the properties of water absorption, solubility and TPS contact angle. The materials morphology was also evaluated by means of scanning electron microscopy. The amount of glycerol and nSS influenced on starch hydrophobic character, for the increase of the glycerol dosage contributed to the increase of absorption and solubility of TPS in water. On the other hand, nSS has greater influence on the characteristics related to the TPS surface, favoring an increase of up to 27% in the contact angle values. Therefore, the sample with the greatest hydrophobic character was obtained by using lowest amounts of glycerol (30%) and highest amounts of nSS (5%)