Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Isaac Y. Miranda-Valdez, Sebastian Coffeng, Yu Zhou, Leevi Viitanen, Xiang Hu, Luisa Jannuzzi, Antti Puisto, Mauri A. Kostiainen, Tero Makinen, Juha Koivisto, Mikko J. Alava
Summary: Foam-formed cellulose biocomposites with added organosolv lignin enhance the properties required for applications such as insulation, packaging, and cushioning. The addition of lignin increases Young's modulus, protects against bacterial growth, and improves surface hydrophobicity. The optimization of the foam composition offers a potential path for industrial-scale development.
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Tia Lohtander, Reima Herrala, Paivi Laaksonen, Sami Franssila, Monika Osterberg
Summary: This study focuses on generating thermally insulating foam from surfactants and renewable lignocellulosic materials. The results showed that bleached pulp foam made using sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) as surfactant produced the highest foam volume, best stability, and good thermal insulation. Lignin improved the structural stability of foam and brought a natural brown color to the foam.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiangyang Zhou, Guoqiang Yin, Yunchao Huang, Yuan Li, Dong Xie
Summary: Biodegradable composites (PBAT-HMNC) consisting of PBAT, thermoplastic starch, hydrophobically modified nanofibrillated cellulose (HMNC), and green surfactant were prepared and characterized. The composites exhibited excellent mechanical and barrier properties, with the highest tensile strength and lower thermal decomposition temperature. The water vapor and oxygen transmission rates were significantly reduced with the addition of 0.6 wt% HMNC, leading to prolonged preservation of Agaricus mushrooms. PBAT-HMNC composites have great potential as nanocomposite materials for packaging.
Article
Thermodynamics
Huan Li, Xiaoyang Yu, Ke Qiu, Bing Bo, Qian Li, Shouxiang Lu
Summary: This study investigated the effects of salt in water on the fire-extinguishing performance of AFFF. The results showed that AFFFAPG and AFFFCAB had better performance than AFFFSDS in resisting the negative effects of salt on interfacial properties and foaming ability. In the fire-extinguishing tests, it was found that high concentrations of Ca2+ and Mg2+ in water weakened the fire-extinguishing performance of AFFF. Traditional indicators characterizing foam properties could not explain the trend of fire extinguishing performance, while the stability of AFFF in the presence of oil could explain the difference in fire-extinguishing time.
CASE STUDIES IN THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Xuezhen Wang, Kishore Mohanty
Summary: This study focuses on developing a strong foam using nanoparticles and surfactants to improve oil recovery in fractured, oil-wet reservoirs. The ECNP/SF foam showed better foamability and stability than SF foam and AOS foam in the presence of oil, with a significantly larger mobility reduction factor. Foam injection into fractured oil-wet cores resulted in significantly higher oil recovery compared to gas injection and conventional AOS foam injection.
Review
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Shahab Saedi, Coralia V. Garcia, Jun Tae Kim, Gye Hwa Shin
Summary: This study reviews the physical and chemical methods used to improve the barrier properties, water uptake, mechanical strength, and transparency of food packaging films made from cellulose nanomaterials, and provides comparative results. Heat treatment, esterification, TEMPO-mediated and periodate oxidation are common methods for improving barrier properties, while modification using silane compounds is established for enhancing mechanical properties.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Annika E. Ketola, Wenzhe Song, Timo Lappalainen, Kristian Salminen, Janika Viitala, Tuomas Turpeinen, Arttu Miettinen, Koon-Yang Lee, Jukka A. Ketoja
Summary: This study investigates the formation of cellulose fiber materials suitable for various applications using aqueous foam as a carrier phase. The interaction between fibers and bubbles can alter the structural and mechanical properties of the materials. The study also explores the effects of different fibers and surfactants on the properties of the formed materials.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Zexiong Zhang, Weizhou Zhong, Jiaxing Li, Jingrun Luo
Summary: This study investigates the mechanical properties and cushioning effectiveness of a combination of flexible polyurethane foam and expanded polystyrene foam with different structural scale parameters. The results provide insights into the influence of load strength and structural scale parameters on the mechanical response and cushioning effectiveness, and highlight the importance of adjusting cushion properties for product protection design optimization.
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Ting-Ting Li, Kelei Zang, Peiyao Liu, Yan Ting Wang, Xianjin Hu, Xiaomeng Wang, Ching-Wen Lou, Jia-Horng Lin
Summary: A cushioning composite with good resilience and compressibility was prepared by perforating a 3D fabric into a hexagonal honeycomb structure, using high elasticity porous polyurethane foam as a substrate, and encapsulating the air layer structure with packaging film. The mechanical properties of the composite were significantly improved compared to polyurethane foam, making it a strong candidate for commodity packaging and personal protection.
POLYMER COMPOSITES
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Selwyn Jebadurai Devaraj, Arul Jeya Kumar Arputham
Summary: In this study, the interfacial bonding between face sheets and core in sandwich composites was strengthened by introducing chopped fibers. The sandwich specimens with chopped glass fibers showed improved mechanical properties, with significantly increased flexural and compressive strength.
POLYMER COMPOSITES
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Textiles
Jiangxin Ding, Haifeng Wang, Zhen Dong
Summary: A new strategy for reducing fiber strength loss during the extraction of cotton stalk bark fibers was investigated. By introducing a cationic modification pretreatment, the fiber strength loss was lowered and high-quality CSBF with good fineness and high breaking strength was obtained.
FIBERS AND POLYMERS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Jingxuan Zhang, Jeffrey P. Youngblood
Summary: Food packaging is critical for extending the shelf life of foods. This study modified a previous method to fabricate a cellulose nanofiber and carboxymethyl cellulose paste as a coating material for molded pulp food trays. The coating showed improved mechanical properties and enhanced barrier properties against air and moisture. Oil and grease resistance testing demonstrated that the coated samples had better resistance. The study also found that the coating helped extend the shelf life of fruits during food storage.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Ching-Wen Lou, Sheng Chu, Peiyao Liu, Xiaomeng Wang, Jia-Horng Lin, Ting-Ting Li
Summary: Polyurethane (PU) foam is widely used in various fields due to its exceptional mechanical properties. This study aimed to construct spring-like sandwich-structured flexible PU foam composites (SFFCs) to enhance the cushioning properties of PU. The incorporation of warp-knitted spacer fabrics (WKSFs) with spring-like structures significantly improved the mechanical properties and cushioning performance of the PU. The SFFCs retained excellent compressive properties even after multiple compression cycles, indicating their potential in providing improved cushioning properties.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Guoqing Jian, Ayrat Gizzatov, Mohammed Kawelah, Zuhair AlYousef, Amr Abdel-Fattah
Summary: Surfactant-stabilized CO2 foam is a promising technique for increasing oil production from reservoirs. A cost-efficient microfluidic device was developed for rapid prescreening of CO2 foam surfactants, successfully testing various formulations. This method not only enables fast surfactant screening but also enhances understanding of foam transport phenomena and modeling.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
H. K. Schofield, D. P. Megson, J. Da Costa, L. A. Richardson, K. Shelbourne, J. Payne
Summary: The concentration of fluorosurfactant in the foam drainage solution increased with time, indicating a longer retention time of fluorosurfactants within the foam. This is likely due to the unequal probability of bubble rupture in the foam blanket which causes bubbles with lower stability to burst first.
COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Mathematics
Sorin Vlase, Iuliu Negrean, Marin Marin, Silviu Nastac
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Carmen Debeleac, Silviu Nastac, Gina Diana Musca (Anghelache)
Review
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Petronela Nechita, Mirela Roman (Iana-Roman)
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Petronela Nechita
NORDIC PULP & PAPER RESEARCH JOURNAL
(2020)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Petronela Nechita
Summary: The study analyzed the influence of drying conditions on the structure and properties of coating layers based on natural pigments and polymer binders on paper surfaces. The results highlighted a synergic effect of drying temperature and latex content in the coating on the quality of coated paper.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Silviu Nastac, Petronela Nechita, Carmen Debeleac, Cristian Simionescu, Mihai Seciureanu
Summary: This study presents experimental investigations on the soundproofing capabilities of a composite material based on expanded perlite and natural polymers matrix reinforced with rapeseed stalks waste. The evaluation of sample sound insulation characteristics showed that the proposed composite provides comparable sound insulation capabilities to actual materials.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Petronela Nechita, Roman Mirela, Florin Ciolacu
Summary: This study analyzed the performance of hardwood xylan hemicellulose in packaging applications, revealing its potential as a sustainable alternative in food packaging.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mircea Mihalcica, Mariana Domnica Stanciu, Silviu Marian Nastac, Florin Dinulica, Alina Maria Nauncef, Ioan Calin Rosca, Adriana Savin
Summary: This study aims to investigate the correlation between the anatomical structure of spruce and maple wood and the dynamic response of old and new violins. The research identified common characteristics between old and new violins, as well as the impact of anatomical features of the top and back plates on violin performance.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Mariana Domnica Stanciu, Florin Dinulica, Voichita Bucur, Vasile Ghiorghe Gliga, Silviu Marian Nastac, Mihaela Campean
Summary: This research investigates the modification of the vibrational properties of the wooden arched thin plates in different stages of violin construction and the influence of plate thickness change on their vibrational behavior. The results showed that the top and back plates have different vibrational behaviors due to wood species features. Changing the thickness of the plates leads to changes in the frequency response of the back plates. Thinner plates result in a more obvious difference between the top and back plate in terms of the maximum frequency. The stiffness of the plates mainly affects the quality factor of the sound oscillation damping, and the addition of the neck reduces the quality factor. The dynamic rigidity and frequency in cavity mode are most responsive to changes in plate thickness.
THIN-WALLED STRUCTURES
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Maria Magdalena Turek Rahoveanu, Valentin Serban, Adrian Gheorghe Zugravu, Adrian Turek Rahoveanu, Dragos Sebastian Cristea, Petronela Nechita, Cristian Silviu Simionescu
Summary: The development of a smart village is closely related to the support of the community. It involves the participation of families, education, knowledge of information technology, and the establishment of research and development facilities. Collaboration between public administration, private sector, and community leaders is vital for the smart economy within the village. Intelligent agriculture can support the intervention of the food system to tackle climate change.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Petronela Nechita, Mirela Roman, Alina Cantaragiu Ceoromila, Andreea Veronica(Dediu) Botezatu
Summary: By chemically modifying xylan hemicellulose with alkyl ketene dimer (AKD), the hydrophobicity of xylan hemicellulose can be improved. Coating the paper surface with xylan hemicellulose and AKD resulted in improved barrier properties and mechanical strength. The results of this study contribute to expanding the applications of hemicelluloses in food packaging papers with appropriate barrier properties using biopolymer coating materials.
Review
Polymer Science
Petronela Nechita, Mirela Roman (Iana Roman), Silviu Marian Nastac
Summary: Based on environmental concerns, hemicelluloses are being used as a sustainable alternative to synthetic polymers in food packaging. However, due to their unique molecular structure, mechanical and barrier properties of hemicellulose films and coatings are not sufficient for food packaging applications and modification is needed. This paper explores green alternatives to acetylation for enhancing the performance of hemicellulose, particularly in paper coatings or films for food packaging.