Treesearch

Oxine copper is listed in the United States as a wood preservative for exterior aboveground use, with active Environmental Protection Agency registrations for both oil- and water-based formulations. While it has limited use in many markets, water-based oxine copper is widely used by the US military to protect wood packing materials for munitions because of its low risk to human health and demonstrated activity against certain insects, decay, and sapstain fungi. Thus, it will likely persist as a wood treatment while other preservatives may face greater restrictions or elimination due to...

Understanding and controlling agglomeration of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) is critical to enable their effective use in various applications. Light scattering techniques are powerful tools for studying how CNCs self-assemble in aqueous suspensions. We used small angle light scattering (SALS) and polarized microscopy to study the formation of ordered domains in CNC suspensions of moderate concentration (1–9 wt%) as a function of time and ultrasonication. Concentration, time and ultrasonication all influenced the structure and rate of tactoid formation. Ultrasonication allowed long-range...

Wood is a complex material that is not only highly heterogeneous but also exhibits anisotropic behavior and high variability accentuated by the diversity of species. In this case, the presence of a defect leads in most cases to the initiation and propagation of cracks that can cause structural failure. It is therefore crucial to assess the stability of the crack and identify the fracture parameters in order to correctly estimate the effect of long-term aging on wooden structures. A numerical investigation of different geometric shapes for the Mixed Mode Crack Growth (MMCG) specimen is...

One of the less interrogated aspects of corrugated packaging are scoring and scoring profiles, the intentional localized crushing of flutes to accommodate package folding and closure. This study explores the effect of scoring parameters on box compression test strength (BCT) of two balanced corrugated boards.Scoring differences produced BCT that varied by 10% for one board and less for the other board. Parameters from 4-point bending of scored specimens showed some correlation with BCT, while eccentricity and torsion parameters had less correlation. Different scores produced BCT differences...

Lignocellulose, found in plant cell walls, is primarily composed of cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin. Lignin is the largest renewable source of aromatics on Earth. Understanding the composition and structure of lignocellulose is essential for elucidating the molecular architecture of plant cell walls and chemical features governing polymer interactions, but lignocellulose is arranged in a complex matrix that resists dissolution and structural analysis.

This study demonstrated the great performance of a surfactant free cellulose-based sol barrier coating for extending the shelf life of a non-climacteric fruit – star apple (Chrysophyllum cainito L.). Microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) produced from a bleached kraft hardwood pulp and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) were mixed to form an aqueous sol for barrier coating. Dip coated star apples were evaluated for weight loss, external visual appearance of the pericarp and internal pulp quality in terms of dryness and color, pericarp firmness, and fruit pulp total dissolved solids. The results...

Acid hydrotropic fractionation using maleic acid, a US FDA approved indirect food additive, can rapidly (20 min) dissolve wood lignin at low temperatures (70–110 ◦C). This study characterized the physical and chemical properties, i.e., color, molecular weight, solubility, and chemical structure of maleic acid hydrotropic fractionation dissolved wood lignin (MAHL) obtained under various fractionation conditions. The study also demonstrated valorization of MAHL for two polymeric applications through direct mixing with (1) commercial sunscreen for its light color and UV protection capability,...

This study introduces a novel approach to characterising the mechanical properties of polymeric multilayer films used in photovoltaic (PV) backsheets through nanoindentation (NI). While traditional methods, like tensile testing, measure overall mechanical performance, NI enables layer‐specific analysis, which is essential for understanding multilayer structures. Here, we employ the structural compliance correction method to address challenges of specimen‐scale flexing and edge effects in NI, enabling accurate measurements of hardness and elastic modulus across distinct film layers. Fourier...

The necessity of biomass valorization arises from global energy and environmental and economic challenges. Catalytic transformation of biomass into fuels, chemicals, and other valuable products has emerged as a promising approach toward a sustainable and circular economy. The primary objective of this review is to provide a timely and comprehensive overview of the entire value chain for the high-value utilization of biomass, covering the entire process from biomass feedstock and its preliminary conversion to catalytic upgrading, and finally to the production of fuels, chemicals, and other...

This study presents a borax–water‐activated cellulose nanofiber (BWCNF) material that can be readily transformed into robust three‐dimensional (3D) electronics through molding and freeform direct laser writing (FDLW). Compared with untreated cellulose nanofiber (CNF), BWCNF exhibits 135% of the tensile strength and 186% of the extensibility. Molded wavy structures also show excellent shape retention, with negligible force–strain hysteresis (<0.5%) over 1000 stretch–release cycles at 40% strain. Laser‐induced graphene (LIG) can be patterned directly on these 3D BWCNF structures, yielding a...