Multifunctional polyamidoxime-co-polyethyleneimine tailored cellulose derived from sustainable biomass for effective removal of acidic dye pollutants from wastewater.

Multifunctional polymers derived from waste biomass are under intense global investigation for wastewater remediation owing to their environmental advantages. Therefore, this study reports the synthesis of a novel polyamidoxime-co-polyethyleneimine multifunctional cellulose, which was used as an adsorbent for the removal of acidic dye pollutants. Morphological, structural, and surface studies were performed using several techniques.

Biobased lignin/polyamide filaments surface-modified with electrochemically produced graphene oxide to improve their thermal stabilisation behaviour as precursors for carbon fibre production.

The thermal stability of melt-spun hydroxypropyl-modified lignin/polyamide (PA1010) 50:50 wt% blended precursor fibres, crucial for the thermal stabilisation stage in carbon fibre production, was enhanced by pre-treating the fibres with a graphene oxide (GO) suspension, synthesized via the modified Hummers method. This pre-treatment allowed the fibres to be subsequently thermally stabilised at a faster heating rate of 20 °C/min, compared to the typical 0.1-0.

Conductive biological materials for in vitro models: properties and sustainability implications.

The integration of conductive biological materials into in vitro models represents a transformative approach to advancing biomedical research while addressing critical sustainability challenges. Traditional materials used in tissue engineering and disease modeling are often environmentally detrimental, derived from non-renewable resources, and limited in their ability to replicate the dynamic properties of native tissues. Conductive biological materials bridge this gap by offering a unique combination of biodegradability, sustainability, and functional properties, such as bioelectricity and biocompatibility, that are essential for mimicking physiological environments.

Lignin-Derived Ionic Hydrogels for Thermoelectric Energy Harvesting.

Thermoelectric materials are attracting attention for their ability to convert heat into electricity, traditionally assessed through a figure of merit () depending on the electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity. Developing efficient ionic thermoelectric materials presents challenges as they cannot integrate directly into standard generators. However, they can utilize the ionic thermoelectric effect to charge supercapacitors.

Multiproduct biorefinery of Paulownia wood by synergy of hydrothermal and deep eutectic solvents (DES) pretreatments for polymers isolation and various cellulose applications.

This study highlights the efficiency of using coupled pretreatments to fractionate Paulownia wood (PW) into separated streams of high-added value products, including hemicelluloses, lignin, phenolic compounds, bioethanol, succinic acid, and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), following a green biorefinery approach. The sequential process began with a hydrothermal treatment (at 203 °C under non-isothermal regime), enabling the solubilization of the hemicellulosic fraction and achieving a high recovery of xylooligosaccharides (66.5 %).

Electrically conductive lignin reinforced PAA/HA scaffolds with enhanced biological activity via polyelectrolyte multilayer coatings for tissue engineering applications.

In this study, a layer-by-layer deposition of poly(L-lysine) and hyaluronic acid (HA) as a polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) film on polyacrylic acid (PAA) /HA/ lignin (LIG) disc shaped scaffolds is presented to increase the biological activity of the scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. These scaffolds are electrically conductive via the introduction poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):hyaluronic acid (PEDOT:HA) nanoparticles (NPs), with a diameter of 10 mm and thickness of 3-4 mm. The multilayer film formation was confirmed through contact angle measurements, fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging.

Sustainable core-shell structures derived from lignin for Na ion batteries.

The aromatic nature of the structure of lignin enables its use as a natural and sustainable hard carbon precursor. Upon carbonisation, lignin-derived hard carbon has shown potential as a sodium-ion battery anode. In this study, we have utilised coaxial electrospinning to produce nanofibers, which undergo stabilisation and carbonisation, to analyse the influence of carbon morphology on sodium-ion storage mechanisms.

Electroconductive gelatin/hyaluronic acid/hydroxyapatite scaffolds for enhanced cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation in bone tissue engineering.

Addressing the challenge of bone tissue regeneration requires creating an optimal microenvironment that promotes both osteogenesis and angiogenesis. Electroconductive scaffolds have emerged as promising solutions for bone regeneration; however, existing conductive polymers often lack biofunctionality and biocompatibility. In this study, we synthesized poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) nanoparticles (PEDOT NPs) using chemical oxidation polymerization and incorporated them into gelatin/hyaluronic acid/hydroxyapatite (Gel:HA:HAp) scaffolds to develop Gel:HA:HAp:PEDOT-NP scaffolds.

Synthesis of high-efficient low-cost fertilizer carriers based on biodegradable lignin hydrogels.

Conventional fertilizers face environmental and economic challenges due to their high solubility, leading to significant losses via runoff and leachate. This study presents a biodegradable hydrogel, synthesized from lignin and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), designed as an eco-friendly carrier for struvite (fertilizer) with controlled phosphate release. The hydrogel was analysed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).

Advancements in hydrogel design for articular cartilage regeneration: A comprehensive review.

This review paper explores the cutting-edge advancements in hydrogel design for articular cartilage regeneration (CR). Articular cartilage (AC) defects are a common occurrence worldwide that can lead to joint breakdown at a later stage of the disease, necessitating immediate intervention to prevent progressive degeneration of cartilage. Decades of research into the biomedical applications of hydrogels have revealed their tremendous potential, particularly in soft tissue engineering, including CR.

Recent advances in ionic thermoelectric systems and theoretical modelling.

Converting waste heat from solar radiation and industrial processes into useable electricity remains a challenge due to limitations of traditional thermoelectrics. Ionic thermoelectric (i-TE) materials offer a compelling alternative to traditional thermoelectrics due to their excellent ionic thermopower, low thermal conductivity, and abundant material options. This review categorizes i-TE materials into thermally diffusive and thermogalvanic types, with an emphasis on the former due to its superior thermopower.

Polymorph selection of pharmaceutical cocrystals via bench-top and continuous production techniques.

Polymorphism can be a valuable tool as well as an impediment in the development and approval of pharmaceuticals, providing an opportunity to tune active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) physicochemical properties. The control of polymorphism in cocrystalline systems and other multicomponent forms remains underexplored. The study herein aims to investigate the potential of several techniques, liquid-assisted grinding (LAG), solvent evaporation (SE), supercritical enhanced atomization (SEA) and electrospraying, to control the cocrystal polymorphic outcome of three cocrystals: isonicotinamide-citric acid (IsoCa), ethenzamide-saccharin (EthSac) and ethenzamide-gentisic acid (EthGa).

Assessing the environmental footprint of alternative green biorefinery protein extraction techniques from grasses and legumes.

The significant grasslands of Europe and its member states represents a significant feedstock opportunity for circular bioeconomy development. The development of green biorefineries (GBR), to supply protein for the feed industry from grass, could help many European member states to address significant deficits in protein availability and reduce imports. The current study assesses the environmental footprint of alternative GBR protein extraction techniques from grasses and legumes using life cycle assessment.

Development of 3D Printable Gelatin Methacryloyl/Chondroitin Sulfate/Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogels as Implantable Scaffolds.

The development of biomaterials tailored for various tissue engineering applications has been increasingly researched in recent years; however, stimulating cells to synthesise the extracellular matrix (ECM) is still a significant challenge. In this study, we investigate the use of ECM-like hydrogel materials composed of Gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) and glycosaminoglycans (GAG), such as hyaluronic acid (HA) and chondroitin sulphate (CS), to provide a biomimetic environment for tissue repair. These hydrogels are fully characterised in terms of physico-chemical properties, including compression, swelling behaviour, rheological behaviour and via 3D printing trials.

On the design of lignin reinforced acrylic acid/hyaluronic acid adhesive hydrogels with conductive PEDOT:HA nanoparticles.

Hydrogels are of great importance in biomedical engineering. They possess the ability to mimic bodily soft tissues, and this allows exciting possibilities for applications such as tissue engineering, drug delivery and wound healing, however much work remains on stability and mechanical robustness to allow for translation to clinical applications. The work herein describes the synthesis and analysis of a biocompatible, versatile hydrogel that has tailorable swelling, high stability when swollen and thermal stability.

Review of methodological decisions in life cycle assessment (LCA) of biorefinery systems across feedstock categories.

The application of life cycle assessment (LCA) to biorefineries is a necessary step to estimate their environmental sustainability. This review explores contemporary LCA biorefinery studies, across different feedstock categories, to understand approaches in dealing with key methodological decisions which arise, including system boundaries, consequential or attributional approach, allocation, inventory data, land use changes, product end-of-life (EOL), biogenic carbon storage, impact assessment and use of uncertainty analysis. From an initial collection of 81 studies, 59 were included within the final analysis, comprising 22 studies which involved dedicated feedstocks, 34 which involved residue feedstocks (including by-products and wastes), and a further 3 studies which involved multiple feedstocks derived from both dedicated and secondary sources.

Hydrothermal processing of Sarcopeltis skottsbergii and study of the potential of its carrageenan for tissue engineering.

The red macroalga Sarcopeltis skottsbergii was subjected to hydrothermal processing to maximize the solubilization and recovery of carrageenan. Once isolated by ethanol precipitation, the carrageenan was further chemically (oligosaccharides composition), and structurally (TGA/DTG, DSC, HPSEC, FTIR-ATR, H NMR, SEM, etc.) characterized, as well as employed as source for the synthesis of hydrogels.

Design and characterization of functional TiO-lignin fillers used in rotational molded polyethylene containers.

In this study, new TiO-lignin hybrid systems were synthesized and characterized by various methods, including non-invasive backscattering (NIBS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), elemental analysis (EA) and zeta potential analysis (ZP). The weak hydrogen bonds between the components, as shown on FTIR spectra, proved the production of class I hybrid systems. TiO-lignin systems were found to display good thermal stability and relatively good homogeneity.

Tailoring TiO-lignin hybrid materials as a bio-filler for the synthesis of composites based on epoxy resin.

In this publication, the functional TiO-lignin hybrid materials were designed and characterized. Based on elemental analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, the efficiency of the mechanical method used to obtain systems was confirmed. Hybrid materials were also characterized by good electrokinetic stability, in particular in the inert and alkaline environments.

Synthesis and evaluation of alginate, gelatin, and hyaluronic acid hybrid hydrogels for tissue engineering applications.

Tissue engineering (TE) has been proposed extensively as a potential solution to the worldwide shortages of donor organs needed for transplantation. Over the years, numerous hydrogel formulations have been studied for various TE endeavours, including bone, cardiac or neural TE treatment strategies. Amongst the materials used, organic and biocompatible materials which aim to mimic the natural extracellular matrix of the native tissue have been investigated to create biomimicry regenerative environments.

Electroconductive PEDOT nanoparticle integrated scaffolds for spinal cord tissue repair.

Background: Hostile environment around the lesion site following spinal cord injury (SCI) prevents the re-establishment of neuronal tracks, thus significantly limiting the regenerative capability. Electroconductive scaffolds are emerging as a promising option for SCI repair, though currently available conductive polymers such as polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) present poor biofunctionality and biocompatibility, thus limiting their effective use in SCI tissue engineering (TE) treatment strategies.

Methods: PEDOT NPs were synthesized via chemical oxidation polymerization in miniemulsion.

Synthesis and characterization of gelatin/lignin hydrogels as quick release drug carriers for Ribavirin.

In this study, hydrogels based on gelatin and lignin were fabricated as efficient drug carriers for Ribavirin. The obtained hydrogels were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), mechanical compression and rheometry. Results showed that the pore structure, viscoelastic behavior and swelling ability significantly influenced by varying lignin content and crosslinker ratio.

Sustainable lignin precursors for tailored porous carbon-based supercapacitor electrodes.

Sustainable materials are attracting a lot of attention since they will be critical in the creation of the next generation of products and devices. In this study, hydrogels were effectively synthesized utilizing lignin, a non-valorised biopolymer from the paper industry. This study proposes a method based on utilizing lignin to create highly swollen hydrogels using poly(ethylene) glycol diglycidyl ether (PEGDGE) as a crosslinking agent.