Adsorption of neutral red dye by chitosan and activated carbon composite films.

Research indicates the use of adsorbent materials to remove pollutants from wastewater and effluents, which can be obtained from renewable materials such as biomass, biopolymers (chitosan) or composites. Thus, the objective of this work was to produce and evaluate activated carbon (AC) and chitosan composite films as adsorbents of neutral red dye. AC films were produced using CO2 and water vapor. The variables of the activation process were time (1 and 2 h) and temperature (600 and 750 °C). Five films were produced, with one pure chitosan (T1) film and four activated carbon with chitosan films (T2, T3, T4 and T5). The T2 film refers to activated carbon produced at 600 °C for 1 h + chitosan, T3 to activated carbon produced at 600 °C for 2 h + chitosan, T4 to activated carbon produced at 750 °C for 1 h + chitosan and T5 to activated carbon produced at 750 °C for 2 h + chitosan. The T5 film increased its adsorption capacity by approximately 87% and its removal efficiency of neutral red dye by 43% compared to T1. The presence of activated carbon in the films provided an increase in the adsorption capacity of the neutral red dye.

Anatomical characterization and technological properties of Pterogyne nitens wood, a very interesting species of the Brazilian Caatinga biome.

Pterogyne nitens is commonly known in northeastern Brazil as a lesser-known fast-growing species in the Caatinga biome, which is a difficult place for tree development due to the low natural fertility soils and low availability of water. Due to the importance of expanding information about the anatomical wood properties of Caatinga native species, the aim of this work was to characterize the anatomical elements, to macroscopically describe the wood and make inferences about its possible end-uses. Maceration was performed which enabled measuring fiber dimensions, pore frequency and the following technological indexes: cell wall fraction, slenderness ratio, Runkel index and flexibility coefficient. Histological sections enabled describing the arrangements of the cellular elements in different observation sections and to determine the pore diameter. P. nitens wood has anatomical arrangements characterized by confluent axial parenchyma, being diffuse-porous with the presence of tylosis and heterogeneous/stratified rays (biseriate). The fibers were classified as very short (length 0.81 mm), not flexible and Runkel index 0.82. The pores were few in number with a frequency of 32.9 pores/mm2, distributed in a diffuse format and many were obstructed by tylosis. Based on the anatomical results and considering other technological studies, P. nitens wood is most suitable for charcoal production.

Addition of mechanically processed cellulosic fibers to ionomer cement: mechanical properties.

In this study, conventional restorative glass ionomer cement (GIC) was modified by embedding it with mechanically processed cellulose fibers. Two concentrations of fibers were weighed and agglutinated into the GIC during manipulation, yielding Experimental Groups 2 (G2; 3.62 wt% of fibers) and 3 (G3; 7.24 wt% of fibers), which were compared against a control group containing no fibers (G1). The compressive strengths and elastic modulus of the three groups, and their diametral tensile strengths and stiffness, were evaluated on a universal test machine. The compressive and diametral tensile strengths were significantly higher in G3 than in G1. Statistically significant differences in elastic modulus were also found between G2 and G1 and between G2 and G3, whereas the stiffness significantly differed between G1 and G2. The materials were then characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Heterogeneously shaped particles were found on the G2 and G3 surfaces, and the cement matrices were randomly interspersed with long intermingled fibers. The EDS spectra of the composites revealed the elemental compositions of the precursor materials. The physically processed cellulosic fibers (especially at the higher concentration) increased the compressive and diametral tensile strengths of the GIC, and demonstrated acceptable elastic modulus and stiffness.

Addition of mechanically processed cellulosic fibers to ionomer cement: mechanical properties

In this study, conventional restorative glass ionomer cement (GIC) was modified by embedding it with mechanically processed cellulose fibers. Two concentrations of fibers were weighed and agglutinated into the GIC during manipulation, yielding Experimental Groups 2 (G2; 3.62 wt% of fibers) and 3 (G3; 7.24 wt% of fibers), which were compared against a control group containing no fibers (G1). The compressive strengths and elastic modulus of the three groups, and their diametral tensile strengths and stiffness, were evaluated on a universal test machine. The compressive and diametral tensile strengths were significantly higher in G3 than in G1. Statistically significant differences in elastic modulus were also found between G2 and G1 and between G2 and G3, whereas the stiffness significantly differed between G1 and G2. The materials were then characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Heterogeneously shaped particles were found on the G2 and G3 surfaces, and the cement matrices were randomly interspersed with long intermingled fibers. The EDS spectra of the composites revealed the elemental compositions of the precursor materials. The physically processed cellulosic fibers (especially at the higher concentration) increased the compressive and diametral tensile strengths of the GIC, and demonstrated acceptable elastic modulus and stiffness.