Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Ryo Miyashita, Hiromasa Goto
Summary: A polyaniline composite was prepared by chemically polymerizing aniline in the cholesteric liquid crystal state of hydroxypropyl cellulose. The composite exhibited a helical structure of the main chain and demonstrated excellent catalytic and magnetic properties. It also showed promising redox properties, making it suitable for various applications.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jincan Zhang, Kaicheng Jia, Yongfeng Huang, Xiaoting Liu, Qiuhao Xu, Wendong Wang, Rui Zhang, Bingyao Liu, Liming Zheng, Heng Chen, Peng Gao, Sheng Meng, Li Lin, Hailin Peng, Zhongfan Liu
Summary: The study found that pristine graphene exhibits high hydrophilicity with an average water contact angle of approximately 30 degrees, due to charge transfer between graphene and water molecules. This work provides insight into water-graphene interaction and introduces a new approach for measuring surface properties of 2D materials.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Marta Wojcieszak, Anna Syguda, Aneta Lewandowska, Agnieszka Marcinkowska, Katarzyna Siwinska-Ciesielczyk, Michalina Wilkowska, Maciej Kozak, Katarzyna Materna
Summary: A series of piperidinium-based herbicidal ionic liquids (HILs) were synthesized and characterized. The synthesized HILs consisted of cation 1-alkyl-1-methylpiperidinium and the commercially available herbicidal anion dicamba. The findings showed that HILs with longer alkyl chains had better wetting properties and that the wetting ability of HILs varied depending on the plant species. The study also provided evidence that alkyl chain elongation played a significant role in the evolution of surface properties of HILs, as demonstrated by zeta potential and atomic force microscopy measurements.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Marta Wojcieszak, Anna Syguda, Aneta Lewandowska, Agnieszka Marcinkowska, Katarzyna Siwinska-Ciesielczyk, Michalina Wilkowska, Maciej Kozak, Katarzyna Materna
Summary: A series of piperidinium-based herbicidal ionic liquids (HILs) were synthesized and characterized. The HILs consisted of cation 1-alkyl-1-methylpiperidinium and dicamba anion. The wettability and phytotoxicity of HILs were investigated, and the role of alkyl chain elongation in the surface properties of HILs was demonstrated.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Kai-Hung Yang, Pratik Joshi, Keith B. Rodenhausen, Anirudha V. Sumant, Shelby A. Skoog, Roger J. Narayan
Summary: The surface chemistry of nitrogen incorporated ultrananocrystalline diamond (N-UNCD) films was altered by plasma treatment utilizing oxygen and fluorine plasma chemistries. Contact angle and zeta potential measurements were used to characterize the modified N-UNCD surfaces, providing a more complete understanding of the interactions between solid surface and aqueous solution. The bonding character, surface composition, and morphology of the N-UNCD films were monitored before and after surface treatment using various techniques to ensure the grafting of functional groups, with results primarily influenced by surface termination.
Article
Materials Science, Textiles
G. Rajkumar, G. K. Sathishkumar, K. Srinivasan, R. Karpagam, V. Dhivya, K. Sakthipandi, R. Sivakumar, Mohamed Ibrahim, M. Mohamed Akheel
Summary: By adding flax fibers to polypropylene-based polymer matrix composites and incorporating varying amounts of lignite fly ash, the microstructure of the composites was altered, affecting their thermal stability and mechanical strength. Results showed a linear increase in T-g, density, and compressive strength values in the composites with 10 wt.% lignite fly ash added.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL FIBERS
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Amal S. Albedwawi, Reem Al Sakkaf, Tareq M. Osaili, Ahmed Yusuf, Amin Olaimat, Shao-Quan Liu, Giovanni Palmisano, Nagendra P. Shah, Mutamed M. Ayyash
Summary: This paper investigated the ability of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and Bifidobacterium to remove acrylamide (AA) and examined the mechanism(s) of the AA removal using various microscopic techniques. The results showed that Bifidobacterium breve and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum exhibited higher acrylamide reduction rates. The study also found that both strains could tolerate low pH levels and remove acrylamide under in vitro gastrointestinal conditions.
LWT-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Julia Auernhammer, Alena K. Bell, Marcus Schulze, Yue Du, Lukas Stuehn, Sonja Wendenburg, Isabelle Pause, Markus Biesalski, Wolfgang Ensinger, Robert W. Stark
Summary: Polymer coatings can enhance the resistance of cellulose fibers against wetness, improve their hydrophobicity and wet strength. The distribution of the coating and the local nanomechanical properties of fibers can affect their performance.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Si-Qian Chen, Patricia Lopez-Sanchez, Deirdre Mikkelsen, Marta Martinez-Sanz, Zhaofeng Li, Shuyan Zhang, Elliot P. Gilbert, Lin Li, Michael J. Gidley
Summary: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of hemicellulose-cellulose interactions on the anisotropic structure of the bacterial cellulose (BC) ribbon network. BC-arabinoxylan (BC-AX) and BC-mixed linkage glucan (BC-MLG) composites were prepared and their mechanical/rheological behavior was evaluated. The results showed that hemicelluloses had limited influence on the crystallinity of BC, but significantly affected the anisotropic behavior of BC hydrogels in compression and stress-relaxation tests.
FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Sergey A. Baskakov, Yuliya V. Baskakova, Svetlana S. Krasnikova, Eugene N. Kabachkov, Maria A. Kapustyanskaya, Nadezhda N. Dremova, Filipp O. Milovich, Yury M. Shulga, Xiaowu Wang, Zhi Li
Summary: Polytetrafluoroethylene/cellulose composite aerogels were prepared and the effect of PTFE content on the properties of the aerogels was investigated. Heat treatment of the composite aerogels at high temperatures improved the hydrophobicity of cellulose and enhanced the solvent absorption capacity.
POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Julia Auernhammer, Tom Keil, Binbin Lin, Jan-Lukas Schaefer, Bai-Xiang Xu, Markus Biesalski, Robert W. Stark
Summary: The study presents a method based on atomic force microscopy to map properties along the fibre and provide a detailed picture of the mechanical properties of single fibres. By using a combination of different microscopy techniques, including AFM and confocal laser scanning microscopy, local variations in fibre properties can be identified.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Tong Xin, Yanan Lv, Haoran Chen, Linlin Li, Lijun Shen, Guangcun Shan, Xi Chen, Hua Han
Summary: This article proposes a new method for serial section registration using an unsupervised optical flow network to measure feature similarity and eliminate nonlinear deformation. The optical flow network is also used to estimate and compensate for cumulative registration error, enabling the reconstruction of biological tissue structures. Experimental results demonstrate that this method effectively improves the spatial continuity of serial sections and enhances the accuracy of registration and reconstruction for biological tissue structures.
Article
Polymer Science
Elena-Luiza Epure, Florina Daniela Cojocaru, Mihaela Aradoaei, Romeo Cristian Ciobanu, Gianina Dodi
Summary: Thermoplastic polymers, or plastics, are essential in our daily life due to their multipurpose, inexpensive and durable nature. Among them, PET, HDPE, and PP are the most commonly used plastics, especially in the packaging industry. However, the increasing production of plastics has resulted in a significant amount of plastic waste, posing a major threat to the environment. The focus now is on improving recycling methods and addressing the quality of recycled plastics and potential contaminations.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Junxia Liu, Yaqian Fan, Yuhui Sun, Zhihong Wang, Dongsheng Zhao, Tian Li, Bingzhi Dong, Chuyang Y. Tang
Summary: The model predicts that severe fouling occurs at low ζ(2) values, and increasing ζ(2) can significantly reduce the membrane fouling rate. The role of contact angle θ is critical, as fouling is dramatically reduced when θ is below (or above) a certain threshold value.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Matias Lakovaara, Juho Antti Sirvio, Mostafa Y. Ismail, Henrikki Liimatainen, Rafal Sliz
Summary: In this work, deep eutectic solvent (DES) was used as a reaction medium for esterification of cellulose nanofiber (CNF) and all-cellulose composite (ACC) films with n-octylsuccinic anhydride (OSA) to obtain high strength and sustainable films with increased hydrophobicity. The modified films displayed better mechanical properties in dry, humid, and wet conditions, with partly attributed improvements to higher contact angles.
Article
Psychiatry
Ebrahim Mahmoudi, Joshua R. Atkins, Yann Quide, William R. Reay, Heath M. Cairns, Chantel Fitzsimmons, Vaughan J. Carr, Melissa J. Green, Murray J. Cairns
Summary: Studies have shown that the MIR137 4-repeat VNTR (VNTR4) variant is enriched in a cognitive deficit subtype of schizophrenia and is associated with altered brain morphology, potentially impacting the expression of more severe cognitive symptoms in patients.
SCHIZOPHRENIA BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Sepehr Azizkhani, Ebrahim Mahmoudi, Norhafizah Abdullah, Mohd Halim Shah Ismail, Abdul Wahab Mohammad, Siti Aslina Hussain
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Behnaz Khavari, Ebrahim Mahmoudi, Michael P. Geaghan, Murray J. Cairns
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2020)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Umairah Abd Rani, Law Yong Ng, Ching Yin Ng, Ebrahim Mahmoudi, Yee-Sern Ng, Abdul Wahab Mohammad
Summary: Empty fruit bunches (EFB) in Malaysia are a rich source of agricultural waste that can be used to produce nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (NCQDs) with excellent optical properties and stability. NCQDs showed efficient photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes under sunlight, following first-order kinetics.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Ebrahim Mahmoudi, Melissa J. Green, Murray J. Cairns
Summary: This study identified 8762 high confidence circRNAs with systematic alternative splicing in human PBMCs. The dysregulation of circRNAs in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder was observed, with 55 circRNAs showing significant downregulation. These DE circRNAs were predicted to interact with miRNAs targeting genes enriched in psychiatric disorders, suggesting their potential as biomarkers in psychiatry.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR MEDICINE-JMM
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nurul Umairah M. Nizam, Marlia M. Hanafiah, Ebrahim Mahmoudi, Azhar A. Halim, Abdul Wahab Mohammad
Summary: This study successfully synthesized cost-effective and efficient PAC for removing dyes from industrial wastewater by optimizing the synthesis conditions. The PAC showed high adsorption capacity and rate, with multiple adsorption mechanisms involved in the process, leading to effective dye removal. The presence of functional groups and active sites on the PAC contributed to its considerable affinity for adsorption, making it a promising adsorbent for dye removal applications.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zeng Wei Heng, Yee Yen Tan, Woon Chan Chong, Ebrahim Mahmoudi, Abdul Wahab Mohammad, Hui Chieh Teoh, Lan Ching Sim, Chai Hoon Koo
Summary: This study demonstrated the modification of polysulfone membrane with carbon dots and silica to enhance its permeability and dye rejection. The modified membranes showed improved pore size, hydrophilicity, and negative surface charge, with a significant increase in permeability for 1.0 wt% CD/SiO2 loading. Notably, the 2.5 wt% CD/SiO2 membrane exhibited the highest dye removal compared to the pure PSf membrane.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Nur Ameera Rosli, Yeit Haan Teow, Ebrahim Mahmoudi
Summary: Infectious diseases caused by bacterial and viral infections are a major cause of mortality worldwide. Nanoparticles show promise as antimicrobial agents due to their multiple mechanisms of action against pathogens and low likelihood of microbial resistance development. Their utilization in various industrial applications highlights the potential for combating microbial growth and infections.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
E. Mahmoudi, S. H. Mohitfar, S. Mahdavi
Summary: Co-Cr and Co-Cr/ZrO2 coatings were electrodeposited from Cr (III) based baths. The incorporation of ZrO2 nanoparticles decreased the density of micro-cracks within the coatings, and immediate heat treatment prevented the formation of micro-cracks and significantly decreased their amount. The composite coatings had higher hardness and corrosion resistance compared to the unreinforced Co-Cr coating, with the optimum sample Co-Cr/5 g L-1 ZrO2 showing 1.2 and 7 times higher hardness and corrosion resistance, respectively, than the unreinforced electrodeposit. Heat treatment further increased the hardness and polarization resistance of the Co-Cr/5 g L-1 ZrO2 coating by 1.5 and 3 times.
MATERIALS CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mahsa Khoshnam, Javad Farahbakhsh, Masoumeh Zargar, Abdul Wahab Mohammad, Abdelbaki Benamor, Wei Lun Ang, Ebrahim Mahmoudi
Summary: Hematite graphene oxide nanocomposites were synthesized for Rhodamine B removal from textile wastewater, with the powder nanocomposites showing higher efficiency and better performance in multiple cycles compared to thin-film counterparts. Analysis of morphology, structure, and properties of the composites was conducted, confirming the effectiveness of the α-Fe2O3-GO-5% powder nanocomposites in dye removal.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Akmal Suhaimi, Ebrahim Mahmoudi, Rhonira Latif, Kim S. Siow, M. Hazani M. Zaid, Abdul Wahab Mohammad, M. F. Mohd Razip Wee
Summary: Plasma-based surface modification using organosilicon precursor TEOS on PES membrane resulted in a superhydrophilic surface with improved water flux and anti-fouling properties, making it effective for trapping organic dyes.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Asad Masood, Naeem Ahmed, M. F. Mohd Razip Wee, Anuttam Patra, Ebrahim Mahmoudi, Kim S. Siow
Summary: Antibacterial coatings are necessary to prevent bacterial colonization and infection in medical tools. This study presents a rapid and one-step atmospheric pressure plasma polymerization (APPP) method for producing nano-thin films with hydrophobic-like properties using D-limonene. The resulting films exhibit strong antibacterial activity and have the potential to be used for bacteria-resistant and biocompatible coatings on various substrates.
Proceedings Paper
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Umairah Abd Rani, Law Yong Ng, Ching Yin Ng, Ebrahim Mahmoudi, Nur Hanis Hayati Hairom
Summary: The by-product of the oil palm industry, Empty fruit bunches (EFB), can be used to synthesize sulphur-doped carbon quantum dots (SCQDs) which show good fluorescent properties. These SCQDs have potential application as a highly efficient photocatalyst for degrading organic dyes in wastewater treatment.
MATERIALS TODAY-PROCEEDINGS
(2021)
Proceedings Paper
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Chiang Kar Mun Amelia, Law Yong Ng, Ching Yin Ng, Ebrahim Mahmoudi, Nur Hanis Hayati Hairom, Shee Keat Mah
Summary: This study involved obtaining high-purity regenerated cellulose from oil palm empty fruit bunches and combining it with polyethersulfone to produce thin-film composite with improved thermal stability. Various stages including ethanol pre-treatment, delignification, pulping, bleaching, and formic acid hydrolysis were employed to achieve high purity. Characterization of regenerated cellulose samples was done using SEM, FTIR, and TGA analyses, showing successful extraction of alpha-cellulose and improved thermal stability of the composite thin film.
MATERIALS TODAY-PROCEEDINGS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Siew Fen Chua, Alireza Nouri, Wei Lun Ang, Ebrahim Mahmoudi, Abdul Wahab Mohammad, Abdelbaki Benamor, Muneer Ba-Abbad
Summary: Water pollution is a growing concern that requires effective treatment technologies like adsorption. Multifunctional adsorbents have emerged, offering capabilities for pollutant removal, photocatalytic, and antibacterial properties. Despite the promising performance, further techno-economic studies are needed to fully realize the benefits and potential applications of these advanced materials in wastewater treatment.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
