Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Claudia Sergi, Jacopo Tirillo, Cinzia Iacovacci, Fabrizio Sarasini
Summary: Hybridization of vegetable fibers with basalt fibers allows for the exploitation of the environmental benefits of vegetable fibers while maintaining the mechanical properties of composites. This study investigates the mechanical recycling of flax/basalt hybrid polypropylene composites and compares the results with flax composites. The results show that the interaction between flax and basalt fibers leads to a faster degradation of flax fibers, resulting in a decrease in hybrid mechanical properties after the second recycling cycle.
SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
B. Pascual-Jose, J. D. Badia, A. Mugica, Frederic Addiego, Alejandro J. Muller, A. Ribes-Greus
Summary: This study analyzed the dielectric properties of both neat and plasticized polylactide after repeated extrusion and injection processes, finding that the addition of plasticizer significantly influenced the dielectric behavior of polylactide.
Article
Materials Science, Characterization & Testing
Clement Freymond, Alain Guinault, Carole Charbuillet, Bruno Fayolle
Summary: The thermal degradation of post-consumed ABS/HIPS and PP/PE blends from waste electrical and electronic equipment was investigated by multiple extrusions for recycling purposes. The molar mass, melt flow index, and ultimate elongation of the recycled blends were evaluated as a function of extrusion cycles. The results revealed a similar degradation mechanism for both ABS/HIPS and PP/PE blends, with ABS/HIPS exhibiting higher thermomechanical resistance. An innovative embrittlement criterion based on MFI measurements was proposed for the analysis of post-consumed polymer blends.
Article
Polymer Science
Priyanka Main, Sandra Petersmann, Nadine Wild, Michael Feuchter, Ivica Duretek, Mariya Edeleva, Peter Ragaert, Ludwig Cardon, Thomas Lucyshyn
Summary: This study explores the potential of mechanical recycling for polyhydroxybutyrates (PHBs) by multiple extrusion cycles and various characterization tests. The results demonstrate that PHBs maintain their properties and can be effectively recycled through mechanical processes.
Article
Polymer Science
Gustavo D. Domingo, Adriana M. C. Souza
Summary: The study investigated the effects of repeated injection molding cycles on the structure and properties of PA6/PA66/talc composite, revealing that an increase in processing cycles led to a reduction in certain mechanical properties, such as tensile and flexural strength and modulus. The weakening talc-matrix interaction and debonding became more evident with increasing processing cycles, as shown by micrographs of the fatigue fractured surfaces.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Huilin Hu, Yana Chen, Feng You, Junlong Yao, Huan Yang, Xueliang Jiang, Bao Yu Xia
Summary: Due to the current situation of massive waste consumption and accumulation, the recycling and upgrading utilization of polymer materials is an effective technology to solve environmental pollution. This work summarizes the recycling and upgrading methods of polymers and discusses the latest progress in polymer upcycling from the perspective of upgrading materials. The common polymer recovery methods, including mechanical recovery, chemical recovery, biocatalysis, and photocatalytic recovery, are discussed based on their mechanism and industrialized application. The upgrading products of polymers are divided into monomers, fuels, and fine chemicals. The challenges and prospects of polymer degradation technology are discussed.
CHINESE JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Andre N. Gaduan, Joanne Li, Gavin Hill, Christopher Wallis, Christoph Burgstaller, Koon-Yang Lee
Summary: This study investigates the structure-property relationship of blending different grades of repeatedly melt-extruded HDPE with virgin HDPE. The results show that blending these different grades of HDPE with virgin HDPE does not significantly affect the melt rheology, tensile properties, and overall migration compared to virgin HDPE, supporting the feasibility of achieving the target set by the UK Dairy Roadmap.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Subeen Kim, Kelvin Li, Alaaeddin Alsbaiee, Jacob P. Brutman, William R. Dichtel
Summary: This study demonstrates simultaneous reprocessing and refoaming of thermoset polyurethane foams using PU CANs in a twin-screw extruder, achieving controllable and uniform foam structures. The optimal refoaming temperature is determined through chemical, thermal, and structural analysis. The reprocessed PU foams maintain microstructural and chemical integrity, allowing for recycling while maintaining performance.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Manel Haddar, Sana Koubaa, Maryam Issaoui, Ahmed Frikha
Summary: This study investigated the reprocessing of polyamide 6 reinforced with 30 wt% glass fiber (PA6/GF30) used in the automotive industry using injection molding. The mechanical properties of the virgin and recycled PA6/GF30 samples were analyzed after different processing cycles, showing a decrease in tensile, bending, and impact strength. A mixture design was used to optimize the mechanical properties of the composite samples, and the results showed that a ternary blend of N0, N1, and N2 with specific weight percentages exhibited the best performance. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations were consistent with the tensile test results. Therefore, this reprocessed formulation provides a cost-effective alternative to virgin PA6/GF30 for various engineering applications.
POLYMERS FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Jeroen van Aart, Jaap den Doelder, Johan P. A. Heuts
Summary: This study investigates the feasibility of directly reprocessing PU foam using reactive extrusion. It demonstrates that PU foam can be reprocessed at temperatures below 200 degrees C and the use of DBTDL catalyst greatly enhances bond exchange rates during compounding.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Rahul Tiwari, Numanuddin Azad, Deblina Dutta, Bholu Ram Yadav, Sunil Kumar
Summary: Plastic waste is on the rise due to urbanisation and globalization, with India being one of the top producers. Only a small percentage of plastic produced in India is recycled. This study explores mechanical and chemical recycling methods, as well as less carbon-intensive plastic degrading strategies using biodegradation.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Aida Alejandra Perez-Fonseca, Martin Esteban Gonzalez-Lopez, Jorge Ramon Robledo-Ortiz
Summary: Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is widely used in the global market due to its biodegradability, but this process may cause environmental impact and residues genotoxicity. High cost also limits PLA's competitiveness with oil-based thermoplastics. This review explores reprocessing and recycling of PLA as economically viable end-of-life options. Mechanical recycling is highlighted for its low environmental impact, and the importance of specific additives in maintaining PLA properties is discussed. The effects of reprocessing and recycling on PLA's molecular structure, rheological properties, and thermo-mechanical properties are analyzed. The environmental impact of PLA recycling methods is compared to other end-of-life options using life cycle assessment (LCA).
JOURNAL OF POLYMERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Jonathan Hatt, Karl Englund, Hui Li
Summary: According to the 2018 data from the National Association of PET Container Resources, the recycling rate of PET bottles in the US is estimated at 29%. Only 20% of the recycled PET bottles are utilized for future applications. The relatively unchanged recycling rates over the previous decade can be attributed, in part, to the mechanical recycling process itself, which can degrade the properties of PET and limit its future utilization.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Polymer Science
Rudolf Pfaendner
Summary: Circular economy will change the way we design plastic products to enable greater durability, reuse, and high-quality recycling. Through improved design, expanded collection and sorting, and the creation of viable markets for recycled plastics, mechanical recycling will grow and the quality of recyclates will be enhanced to replace pristine polymers, supporting sustainable plastic applications.
POLYMER DEGRADATION AND STABILITY
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Johanna Langwieser, Andrea Schweighuber, Alexander Felgel-Farnholz, Christian Marschik, Wolfgang Buchberger, Joerg Fischer
Summary: This paper analyzes the influence of multiple recycling loops on the material properties of polyolefins. The tested polyolefins showed continuous material degradation with increasing number of processing loops, resulting in significant changes in the property profiles.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Hylenne Bojorges, Antonio Martinez-Abad, Marta Martinez-Sanz, Maria Dolores Rodrigo, Francisco Vilaplana, Amparo Lopez-Rubio, Maria Jose Fabra
Summary: The effects of high hydrostatic pressure pre-treatment on the extraction of alginate from different algae species vary, but it can significantly increase the yield of alginate. In addition, the pre-treatment can also affect the M/G values and gelling properties of the extracted alginate.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Evgeniy N. N. Donev, Marta Derba-Maceluch, Zakiya Yassin, Madhavi Latha Gandla, Sivan Pramod, Emilia Heinonen, Vikash Kumar, Gerhard Scheepers, Francisco Vilaplana, Ulf Johansson, Magnus Hertzberg, Bjoern Sundberg, Sandra Winestrand, Andreas Hoernberg, Bjoern Alriksson, Leif J. J. Joensson, Ewa J. J. Mellerowicz
Summary: Trees are a promising renewable resource for biorefinery, but their recalcitrance limits their practical use. Large-scale genetic engineering experiments were carried out to reduce recalcitrance in hybrid aspen, resulting in the identification of a construct with improved glucose yield. However, some constructs had negative effects on growth and wood properties. Different traits were associated with high glucose yields in saccharification with and without pretreatment. Genotypes with high glucose yields exhibited increased nanoporosity and altered chemical composition compared to wild-type trees. Pilot-scale pretreatment confirmed the superior sugar yields of the best-performing construct.
PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Loredana Malafronte, Secil Yilmaz-Turan, Leyla Dahl, Francisco Vilaplana, Patricia Lopez-Sanchez
Summary: Whole grain flours are good candidates for natural texturisers in foods and beverages due to their polysaccharides with techno-functional and nutritional properties. However, understanding the relationship between their physicochemical and rheological properties is crucial for developing complex fluids and soft materials using plant components.
FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
(2023)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Muhammad Mujtaba, Leonardo Fernandes Fraceto, Mahyar Fazeli, Sritama Mukherjee, Susilaine Maira Savassa, Gerson Araujo de Medeiros, Anderson do Espirito Santo Pereira, Sandro Donnini Mancini, Juha Lipponen, Francisco Vilaplana
Summary: In response to the global warming crisis caused by uncontrolled greenhouse gas production, industries are striving to reduce their dependence on petrochemicals and petroleum-based industrial components and replace them with biobased, sustainable, and environmentally friendly alternatives. Agricultural waste, particularly lignocellulosic biomass, provides a significant resource for the development of various bio-products. Recent advancements in integrated biorefineries have improved the utilization of waste lignocellulose components to produce biofuels, platform chemicals, resins, bioplastics, additives, and other biobased materials for diverse applications.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Daiga Konrade, Sergejs Gaidukovs, Francisco Vilaplana, Pramod Sivan
Summary: Fruit and berry by-products, such as pomace, contain biologically active compounds, especially pectic polysaccharides, which can be extracted and used in various food and pharmaceutical products. This research aims to extract pectin from juice production by-products using a hot water extraction method with weak organic citric acid, minimizing the environmental impact and maximizing the content of bioactive components.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Reskandi C. Rudjito, Amparo Jimenez-Quero, Maria Del Carmen Casado Munoz, Teun Kuil, Lisbeth Olsson, Mary Ann Stringer, Kristian Bertel Romer Morkeberg Krogh, Jens Eklof, Francisco Vilaplana
Summary: The molecular structure of cereal arabinoxylans (AXs) from wheat and rye influences the activity of different xylanases, resulting in specific profiles of arabinoxylanoligosaccharides (AXOS). The accessibilities of xylanases are influenced by arabinose and ferulic acid substitutions.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Dongming Zhang, Reskandi C. Rudjito, Solja Pietiainen, Shu-Chieh Chang, Alexander Idstrom, Lars Evenas, Francisco Vilaplana, Amparo Jimenez-Quero
Summary: The intake of dietary fibers is important for human health. Two types of arabinoxylan fibers, one with ferulic acid linked and one without, were produced from wheat bran. The fibers were used in bread production and their interaction with other macromolecules in the bread was investigated. The non-digestability of the fibers was confirmed and they showed potential prebiotic effects during fermentation with probiotic bacteria.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shu-Chieh Chang, Mu-Rong Kao, Rebecka Karmakar Saldivar, Sara M. Diaz-Moreno, Xiaohui Xing, Valentina Furlanetto, Johannes Yayo, Christina Divne, Francisco Vilaplana, D. Wade Abbott, Yves S. Y. Hsieh
Summary: (1,3;1,4)-β-D-Glucans are widely distributed in various organisms, but little is known about the enzymes responsible for their synthesis outside the grasses. This study identifies and characterizes the (1,3;1,4)-β-D-glucan synthase RiGT2 in the Gram-positive bacterium Romboutsia ilealis, and demonstrates the production of (1,3;1,4)-β-D-glucans similar to those found in lichens.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Matthieu Bourdon, Jan J. Lyczakowski, Rosalie Cresswell, Sam Amsbury, Francisco Vilaplana, Marie-Joo Le Guen, Nadege Follain, Raymond Wightman, Chang Su, Fulgencio Alatorre-Cobos, Maximilian Ritter, Aleksandra Liszka, Oliver M. Terrett, Shri Ram Yadav, Anne Vaten, Kaisa Nieminen, Gugan Eswaran, Juan Alonso-Serra, Karin H. Mueller, Dinu Iuga, Pal Csaba Miskolczi, Lothar Kalmbach, Sofia Otero, Ari Pekka Mahonen, Rishikesh Bhalerao, Vincent Bulone, Shawn D. Mansfield, Stefan Hill, Ingo Burgert, Johnny Beaugrand, Yoselin Benitez-Alfonso, Ray Dupree, Paul Dupree, Yka Helariutta
Summary: The introduction of callose through genetic engineering modifies the wood structure and decreases biomass recalcitrance, thus benefiting the economic and technological aspects of biorefinery processes.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Secil Yilmaz-Turan, Teodora Gal, Patricia Lopez-Sanchez, Mario M. Martinez, Carolin Menzel, Francisco Vilaplana
Summary: This study explores the cascade extraction of polyphenols and pectins from apple pomace and their potential application as food emulsifiers. The extraction of polyphenols was achieved by a simple method using ethanol and resulted in remarkable antioxidant activity. Pectic polysaccharides were sequentially extracted using subcritical water at different temperatures and pH conditions. Acidic pH combined with higher temperature resulted in higher pectin yields, while neutral conditions were less selective towards pectin. The methoxylation of pectin and the relative abundance of different pectic domains could be controlled by subcritical water extraction, which has important implications for the valorization of pectic-rich agricultural wastes into valuable food ingredients.
FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Pramod Sivan, Emilia Heinonen, Madhavi Latha Gandla, Amparo Jimenez-Quero, Husamettin Deniz Ozeren, Leif J. Jonsson, Ewa J. Mellerowicz, Francisco Vilaplana
Summary: Fast growing hardwoods are important renewable resources for producing bio-based materials, platform chemicals, and biofuels. However, the complex molecular structure of the cell wall components hinders the industrial processing of lignocellulosic biomass. In this study, a hydrothermal step by sequential subcritical water (SW) was implemented to enhance biomass conversion in aspen wood. Subcritical water enabled extraction of non-cellulosic cell wall polysaccharides, improving saccharification yields and promoting the conversion of biomass into fermentable sugars and platform chemicals.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Monika Tolgo, Olav A. Hegnar, Johan Larsbrink, Francisco Vilaplana, Vincent G. H. Eijsink, Lisbeth Olsson
Summary: This study demonstrates that the xylanolytic activities of two LPMOs depend on the presence of xylan substitutions. The removal of arabinosyl and glucuronoxylan substitutions enhances LPMO activity. This research sheds new light on the activity and interplay of lignocellulolytic enzymes and is important for the development of biomaterials and enzyme cocktails.
BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Anis N. Arzami, Danila Morais de Carvalho, Francisco Vilaplana, Frederick L. Stoddard, Kirsi S. Mikkonen
Summary: Lupin is a promising plant-based protein source with high protein and fiber content. Understanding the composition and structure of lupin fiber is crucial to increase its value. This study reveals that the fiber fraction of lupin seeds is primarily made up of pectin, and lupin seeds have the potential to be used as emulsifiers.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Secil Yilmaz-Turan, Kun Jiang, Patricia Lopez-Sanchez, Amparo Jimenez-Quero, Thomas Crouzier, Tomas S. Plivelic, Francisco Vilaplana
Summary: Biocatalytical upgrading of side streams from agricultural biomass into multifunctional materials can increase the circularity of food and material systems. In this study, we designed radical scavenging hydrogels with mechanical integrity and protective effects against reactive oxygen species using enzymatic crosslinking of arabinoxylans (AX) extracted from corn fibre. The influence of two enzymatic systems, laccase/O-2 and peroxidase/H2O2, on the biochemical structure, assembly, properties, and radical scavenging activity of the hydrogels was compared. The results showed that the enzymatic system used for crosslinking affected the network organization and properties of the hydrogels.
Article
Polymer Science
Thorsak Kittikorn, Emma Stromberg, Monica Eke, Sigbritt Karisson
Summary: The effect of sisal fibre modification on the microbiological stability of PHBV was studied. The propionylation of sisal fibre showed the best adhesion at the interface and improved the thermal properties of the composites. The composite containing propionylated sisal fibre exhibited the highest resistance to microorganisms.