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Sunflower oil (SFO) and Flaxseed oil (FSO) were microencapsulated using simple and complex coacervation techniques with Opuntia (Cactaceae) mucilage (Mu) and with a combination of Mu with chitosan (Chit). The encapsulation efficiency (EE) of SFO and FSO in emulsions using Mu/Chit shells was 96.7% and 97.4%, respectively. Morphological studies indicated successful entrapment of oils in core shells with particle sizes ranging from 1396 ± 42.4 to 399.8 ± 42.3 nm. The thermogravimetric analyses demonstrated enhanced core protection with thermal stability noted for microcapsules regardless of encapsulation method. The stability of the microcapsules, during in vitro digestion was studied. The obtained results revealed that the microcapsules are intact in oral conditions and have a slow release of oil over stomach digestion and rapid release in the small intestine. The results showed that Mu and Mu/Chit coacervates can be used as effective carrier systems to encapsulate sensitive ingredients and functional oils., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The traditional starch-based intelligent freshness labels struggle to maintain long-term structural stability when exposed to moisture. To solve this problem, we prepared composite crosslinked labels using phytic acid for double crosslinking of corn starch and soybean isolate proteins, with anthocyanin serving as the chromogenic dye. The mechanical properties, hydrophobic characteristics, and pH responsivity of these crosslinked labels were assessed in this study. The prepared double-crosslinked labels showed reduced moisture content (15.96%), diminished swelling (147.21%), decreased solubility (28.55%), and minimized water permeability, which suggested that they have enhanced hydrophobicity and densification. The crosslinked labels demonstrated the ability to maintain morphological stability when immersed in water for 12 h. Additionally, the mechanical properties of the crosslinked labels were enhanced without compromising their pH-sensing capabilities, demonstrated a color response visible to the naked eye for milk and coconut water freshness monitoring, suggesting great potential for application in beverages freshness monitoring., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Cellulose-based functional materials play a crucial role in sustainable social development. However, during the material synthesis process, there is typically significant reliance on various solvent systems for macroscopic- or molecular-scale functionalization modifications. In this study, an innovative hydrophobic eutectic solvent (HES) was developed using ethyl cellulose (EC) and thymol (Thy) without any external solvents. Utilizing this homogeneous system, it is convenient to chemically modify the components without any catalyst. Furthermore, a hydrophobic cellulosic cross-linked network (HCCN) can be successfully prepared through in situ photopolymerization. The HCCN film exhibits high transparency, excellent mechanical properties, chemical stability, and durability. The EC/Thy prepolymer system also demonstrates favorable processability for the preparation of various polymeric materials. Additionally, the applicability of other biomasses and derivatives based on the eutectic strategy has been verified. The methodology proposed in this study offers novel insights into the green and solvent-free preparation of biomass functional materials.

Viscosity is a crucial indicator of the flow state of proteins, lipids, and polysaccharides in the cell microenvironment and plays a vital role in maintaining normal cellular activities. Abnormal viscosity in any part of the cell constituents can lead to various diseases in the organism. For instance, abnormal mitochondrial viscosity can lead to diseases, such as diabetes and Parkinson's disease. Therefore, real-time monitoring of changes in mitochondrial viscosity in both pathological and physiological environments is relevant. This study describes a water-soluble xylan-based near-infrared fluorescence probe that can detect changes in cellular viscosity. The designed mitochondria-targeting near-infrared fluorophores were introduced into modified xylan to form a viscosity-sensing fluorescent probe (NI-XylV). The fluorescence intensity of NI-XylV at 590 and 670 nm gradually increases with an increase in viscosity caused by environmental changes, enabling the sensitive detection of viscosity changes in mitochondria within living cells. NI-XylV exhibits good photostability, biocompatibility, excellent mitochondrial targeting, and broad application prospects as a bio-based fluorescence probe.

Algal enzymes are essential catalysts in numerous biological reactions and industrial processes owing to their adaptability and potency. The marketing of algal enzymes has recently risen due to various reasons, including the cost-efficient manner of their cultivation in photobioreactors, the eco-friendly production of high biomass contents, sources of novel enzymes that used in many sectors (biofuel and bioremediation applications), sustainability, and more renewability. Oxidoreductases and hydrolytic enzymes are among the important applied algal enzymes in industrial applications, with annually growing demand. These algal enzymes have opened up new avenues for significant health advantages in reducing and treating oxidative stress, cardiovascular illness, tumors, microbial infections, and viral outbreaks. Despite their promising uses, commercial applications of algal enzymes face many difficulties, such as stability, toxicity, and lower data availability on specific and adequate catalytic mechanisms. Therefore, this review focuses on the algal enzyme types, their uses and advantages over other microbial enzymes, downstream and upstream processing, their commercial and marketing, and their challenges. With the constant development of novel enzymes and their uses, enzyme technology provides exciting options for several industrial sectors., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Cellulose-based aerogels offer exceptional promise for oily wastewater treatment, but the challenge of low mechanical strength and limited application functions persists. Inspired by the graded porous structures in the animal skeleton and bamboo stem, we firstly report here a stepwise solvent diffusion-induced phase separation approach for constructing the gradient pore-density three-dimensional (3D) cellulose scaffold (GPDS). Benefiting from the regulation of competitive hydrogen bonding between the anti-solvents and the ionic liquid (IL) in cellulose solution, GPDS exhibits the decreased major channels size and increased minor pores amount gradually along the solvent diffusion direction. These endow GPDS with the characteristics of low density (0.019 g/cm) and super strength (high up to 870 KPa). The application of GPDS in the field of oil-water separation has achieved remarkable results, including oil/organic solvent absorption (13-25 g/g GPDS ), immiscible oil-water mixture separation (high efficiency up to 99.8 %, flux > 2000 L/m 2 ·h), and surfactant-stabilized oil-in-water emulsion (efficiency up to 97.7 %). Moreover, a simple hydrophobic treatment further realizes the efficient separation of water-in-oil emulsion (98.5 % efficiency). The as-fabricated GPDS accordingly achieves the multifunctional application in oil-water separation field. Thus, a new avenue is opened to construct 3D cellulose porous scaffold as adsorbent materials in oily wastewater treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Recently, fiber-based and functional paper food packaging has garnered significant attention for its versatility, excellent performance, and potential to provide sustainable solutions to the food packaging industry. Fiber-based food packaging is characterized by its large surface area, adjustable porosity and customizability, while functional paper-based food packaging typically exhibits good mechanical strength and barrier properties. This review summarizes the latest research progress on food packaging based on fibers and functional paper. Firstly, the raw materials used for preparing fiber and functional paper, along with their physical and chemical properties and roles in food packaging, were discussed. Subsequently, the latest advancements in the application of fiber and paper materials in food packaging were introduced. This paper also discusses future research directions and potential areas for improvement in fiber and functional paper food packaging to further enhance their effectiveness in ensuring food safety, quality, and sustainability., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Cellulose-based aerogels have emerged as highly promising materials for oil-water separation because of their highly porous nature, low bulk density, cost-effectiveness, and functional performance. In this study, a novel, robust, and hydrophobic bacterial cellulose aerogel (HBCA) was reported for highly efficient oil/water separation, which was formed by incorporating methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) into sulfonated nano-fibrillated bacterial cellulose (SNBC) matrix through freeze-drying method. The structural integrity of the SNBC/MTMS aerogel was ensured by its three-dimensional linked network structure. The resultant aerogel demonstrated superior hydrophobicity with a contact angle of 152.4°. As an oil-absorbing material, it selectively adsorbed different types of oils and organic solvents, with a saturation adsorption capacity ranging from 42.14 to 85.37 g·g -1 . Additionally, this composite aerogel demonstrated outstanding separation efficiency (98.48 %) in continuous oil-water mixture processes, suggesting promising potential applications in the treatment of industrial oil pollution and oil spill accidents. This study indicates that the proposed HBCA with sulfonated nano-fibrillated bacterial cellulose is a potential and effective material for addressing environmental challenges related to oil contamination., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Polycarboxylate superplasticizers (PCEs) achieve dispersion mainly via steric hindrance from poly(ether) side chains. However, long side chains may cause structural collapse. This study mitigates this issue by introducing sulfonic acid terminations to the long side chains, synthesizing sulfonic-terminated polycarboxylates (PCEPS). Electrostatic repulsion between sulfonic and carboxyl groups on the main chain reduces the level of collapse, enhancing PCE dispersion in cement. PCEPS-4000 showed the strongest dispersion compared with conventional PCEs (PCEC). PCEPS-4000 formed an adsorption layer thickness (ALT) of 11.65 nm, showing a significant improvement over the 7.93 nm observed in the carboxyl-terminated long side chain polycarboxylate (PCETA). Stronger negative charge and lower complexation of sulfonic acid groups enhance the side chain extension. PCEPS also shows good clay tolerance and slump retention, proving its versatility as a concrete admixture.

ZnAl 2 O 4 and CuAl 2 O 4 spinel nanoparticles were prepared by a modified Pechini method and used with the natural chitosan (CS) and shellac (SH) polymers to form novel composite membranes as promising food packaging materials. The selection of ZnAl 2 O 4 and CuAl 2 O 4  spinel nanoparticles was based on their antibacterial characteristics, availability, and economy. Using a straightforward and adaptable solution mixing and casting method, the bio-composites were created. The mechanical, physical, antibacterial, homogeneity and air permeability properties of composite films were investigated. The film structure was evaluated in terms of component interactions using FTIR spectra. The addition of 10% SH increased the tensile strength, percentage strain at maximum load, Young's modulus, and burst strength by 114-101%, 3.6-8.4, 103-119, and 179-153% for low and middle M.wt./CS respectively. Chitosan/shellac-CuAl 2 O 4  composite has superior properties compared to ZnAl 2 O 4  composite. In general, 0.05% spinel provides a composite having better qualities than that of 0.1 additions. Middle M.wt. chitosan provides a composite with superior properties compared to that of low M.wt. The incorporation of ZnAl 2 O 4 or CuAl 2 O 4 enhanced the thermal stability of the SH/CS composite. ZnAl 2 O 4 provides superior thermal stability than CuAl 2 O 4 . When shellac/CS film structure is treated with the previously indicated ZnAl 2 O 4 or CuAl 2 O 4 formulation, the % swelling decreases along with an increasing in the gel fraction. The antimicrobial assessment using inhibition zone diameter and shake flask methods showed that a composite of 1:9 shellac/chitosan/0.05% of CuAl 2 O 4 exerted the highest Gram-positive antibacterial activity against B. mycoides (21 mm), and C. albicans (22 mm). So, these enhancements make chitosan/shellac/ZnAl 2 O 4 or CuAl 2 O 4  composite films a good alternative to producing food packaging materials., Competing Interests: Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The goal of the current work is to showcase the synthesis of homogeneous pullulan nanofibers that are strengthened by the addition of cellulose nanofibrils (CNF). One of the main difficulties this study faced was determining the ideal water/organic solvent ratio for the electrospinning process, which would allow for the maximum reduction in the amount of organic solvent (DMF or DMSO) needed. The rheological behavior of electrospinning solutions was modulated by varying both, the pullulan concentration and solvent system composition. The amount of CNF in the composition significantly affects the properties of the created nanofibers. When the CNF content increased from 1 % to 5 %, the diameter of the fibers decreases from 284 nm to 90 nm. This is attributed to the enhanced conductivity and surface charge density of the solution jet. The as prepared nanofibres can hold a variety of drugs and can be used to create novel formulations for various biomedical purposes. The nanofibres were tested for salicylic acid incorporation and release. Drug release exhibited zero-order kinetics, suggesting that the concentration remained unaffected by the rate of release. Furthermore, the nanofibres demonstrated remarkable antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Hydrogels used for flexible sensing usually require a good balance between mechanical strength and conductivity. In this study, polyvinyl alcohol/carboxymethyl cellulose/cellulose nanofibers (PVA/CMC/CNF) hydrogels with multi-hierarchical structures were firstly prepared by adjusting the CNF content. Then, PVA/CMC/CNF-xM with excellent mechanical properties and conductivity were prepared by cyclic freezing-thawing and sodium citrate/aluminium chloride (Na 3 Cit/AlCl 3 ) dual ions salt equilibrium methods. Results showed that at an ion concentration of 3 mol/L, PVA/CMC/CNF-3 M hydrogel exhibited a tensile strength, elongation at break and conductivity of 3.41 MPa, 1271 % and 0.35 S/m, respectively. The structural evolution of PVA/CMC/CNF-xM conductive hydrogels were studied, and the results indicated that Cit 3- formed numerous intermolecular hydrogen bonds, while Al 3+ could strongly coordinate with carboxyl and hydroxyl groups between the polysaccharide chains. Meanwhile, PVA/CMC/CNF-3 M possessed a low strain detection limit of 1 %, making it not only can be used for human motion monitoring, but also information encoding and transmission. This work may provide a facile approach for preparing high-strength and conductive hydrogels, which can be applied in flexible wearable electronic devices and information transmission., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Natural laccases are a family of multi‑copper oxidases that can oxidize multiple phenol substrates and of great importance to contaminant remediation and biosensing. However, the construction of substitutes for the expensive and perishable laccase used in harsh conditions remains a great challenge. Here, we reported a novel strategy for the fabrication of copper-doped lignin-based laccase nanozymes (Cu-AL) through the coordination of aminated lignin and different copper sources. The Cu-AL prepared from CuSO 4 , possessed highest Cu content and Cu + proportion, exhibited the best laccase-like activity to various phenols degradation. Strikingly, the thermophilic Cu-AL exhibited superior catalytic activity at 100 °C (3.23 times than that of 60 °C) and durability (> 50 % activity even after 160 days stored in water). Furthermore, a smartphone-based detection platform was successfully developed to achieve the rapid, convenient, and accurate detection of epinephrine concentration. In summary, this work provides a new sustainable and low-cost way to design robust laccase nanozymes from lignocellulose biomass, especially for expanding the applications of enzymatic reaction with high-temperature operation and/or long-term storage in environmental remediation and biosensing., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

A facile green hydrothermal method was developed for the preparation of fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) using sugarcane bagasse (SB) as a raw material. The incorporation of CDs within the hydroxyethyl cellulose-acrylamide hydrogel (HEC-AM) in the presence of glutardehyde (GA) as a crosslinking agent showed bright red emission under fluorescence microscope. The hydroxyethyl cellulose-N-CDs-acrylamide hydrogel (HEC-AM@N-CDs) were used as alternative biocompatible fluorescent probes for imaging and suppression of Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli (with inhibition zones 13 mm for HEC-AM to 17 mm for HEC-AM@N-CDs) &Helicobacter pylori (with inhibition zones 16 mm for HEC-AM to 13 mm for HEC-AM@N-CDs) and Gram-positive bacteria such as Micrococcus luteus (with inhibition zones 15 mm for HEC-AM to 16 mm for HEC-AM@N-CDs) &Staphylococcus aureus (with inhibition zones 13 mm for HEC-AM to 14 mm for HEC-AM@N-CDs). The N-CDs promote bacterial binding and internalization, leading to differential fluorescence emission depending on the bacteria's cell wall composition. DFT calculations support strong interactions between the bacteria and HEC-AM@N-CDs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are usually modified and passivated to improve their performance and stability. The interface modification and bulk doping are the two basic strategies. Fluorine (F)-containing materials are highly favored because of their unique hydrophobicity and coordination ability. This review discusses the basic characteristics of F, and the basic principles of improving the photovoltaic performance and stability of PSC devices using F-containing materials. We systematically summarized the latest progress in the application of F-containing materials to achieve efficient and stable PSCs on several key interface layers. It is believed that this work will afford significant understanding and inspirations toward the future application directions of F-containing materials in PSCs, and provide profound insights for the development of efficient and stable PSCs., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Foam materials possess notable features, including low density, high porosity, low thermal conductivity, and high impact resistance, making them extensively used in various sectors such as construction, transportation, water treatment, and packaging. However, the majority of commercial foam materials are derived from synthetic polymers based on fossil fuels, which raises concerns regarding health and ecology. In this work, we present a straightforward and scalable approach (physical cross-linking and common pressure drying) for fabricating a bio-based foam material using pulp fibers sourced from discarded sugarcane bagasse and sodium alginate extracted from seaweed. The resulting foam material exhibits low density (13.7-20.5 kg/m 3 ), exceptional thermal insulation properties (thermal conductivity as low as 38.6 mW/mK), thermal stability (no deformation at 140 °C), and mechanical strength. After a basic silane modification, it also shows favorable water resistance (with a contact angle of 128°). Moreover, the foam material demonstrates remarkable degradation performance, with a degradation rate exceeding 93.8 % after 90 days of burial in soil. Therefore, this novel method offers a sustainable solution for eco-friendly foam production across various application domains., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Cellulose material is emerging as a promising alternative to polyolefin separators in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to its wide availability, electrolyte wettability and thermal stability. Based on the non-solvent induced phase separation, dissolving and regenerating the cellulose material by environmentally friendly solvents and non-solvent enables the efficient and pollution-free preparation of porous regenerated cellulose separator (RCS), greatly expanding their application potential in LIBs. However, the mechanical strength of pure RCS still hardly satisfactory, due to the weak intermolecular bonding and loose porous structure. Therefore, this study introduced an acrylic acid/acrylamide (AA/AM) polymer cross-linking system forming an interpenetrating network with the cellulose framework to produce a double network regenerated cellulose separator (DN-RCS) with high mechanical strength and high porosity. At meantime, the special functional group on AA/AM can influence the transport process of Li + and PF 6 - in the electrolyte, helping to form a stable interface on the electrolyte/lithium anode surface to reduce the formation of lithium dendrites. The results showed that DN-RCS possessed excellent mechanical strength and porosity compared to RCS. The high ionic conductivity of DN-RCS (1.03 mS cm -1 ) enabled the assembled cell with excellent cycling stability (90.8 % at 0.5C for 100 cycles) and rate performance (65.2 % at 5C). This work provides a further feasible strategy for the preparation of a high-performance cellulose-based separator., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest There are no conflicts of interest to declare in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Lipid droplets (LDs) and lysosomes were dynamic organelles present in most eukaryotic cells that were interconnected and worked closely together to ensure the smooth physiological activities of organisms. The interaction between lipid droplets and lysosomes was thought to play a role in the development of certain diseases. In this paper we designed and synthesised a lipid droplet lysosomal probe. The Nap-Lyso-Ph-OH probe was constructed according to the ICT mechanism and exhibited sensitivity to both polarity and viscosity. The probe exhibited low cytotoxicity, a large Stokes shift, excellent selectivity and photostability. The probe was successfully used for labelling and imaging of lipid droplets and lysosomes in cells and zebrafish. Interestingly, we used tobacco seedling cells to explore the ability of Nap-Lyso-Ph-OH for imaging lipid droplet labelling in plant cells.

Kinsenoside is a rare and valuable glycoside with extensive bioactivities. However, the enzymatic synthesis of kinsenoside has been a challenging task due to the limited enzyme toolbox and unsatisfactory yield. Herein, the β-glucosidase from Dictyoglomus thermophilum (DtBGL) was heterologously expressed, purified and enzymatically characterized. The purified DtBGL was successfully immobilized on the metal-organic frameworks of UiO-66-NH 2 . The DtBGL@UiO-66-NH 2 was fully characterized using SEM, XRD, TGA and FTIR. The studies on enzymatic properties demonstrated that DtBGL@UiO-66-NH 2 exhibited increased catalytic activity and stability compared to the free DtBGL. Particularly, DtBGL@UiO-66-NH 2 could catalyze the synthesis of kinsenoside via the reverse hydrolysis reaction and the kinsenoside yield was 34.12 % under the optimized catalytic system, which was 1.9-fold higher compared with the free DtBGL. Moreover, DtBGL@UiO-66-NH 2 displayed good reusability with a kinsenoside yield of 27.02 % after reuse for 3 times. The present work not only identifies and characterizes a highly active β-glucosidase with reverse hydrolysis activity, but also proposes the immobilized enzyme as an effective catalyst for the industrial production of glycosides., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

High-performance fiber-reinforced composite materials demonstrate great potential for manufacturing diaphragms in human-engineered acoustic loudspeakers. However, the notable scarcity of high-quality fibers and the uncontrollable nature of the diaphragm structure limit the production of high-quality sound that conforms to human hearing. In this study, a novel composite diaphragm material is devloped by integrating the swelling carboxymethyl cellulose microfiber (CMF) with the hot-melted sheath-core fiber (SCF) based on the "interpenetrating polymeric network" ("IPN") strategy. Simulation methods and Flory-Huggins theory are applied to explain the mechanism of fiber-structure-property interaction in composite diaphragm materials. Owing to the distinct microstructure, this bio-based diaphragm material shows superior mechanical characteristics, including low density (≈0.92 g cm - 3 ), high tensile strength (≈235 MPa), and high modulus (≈9.73 GPa). Moreover, the loudspeaker mounted with bio-based diaphragm material exhibits enhanced sensitivity (≈82.6 dB) and stable performance across a broad frequency spectrum. This study not only elucidates the multiphysics working principles of loudspeakers but also establishes a crucial connection between the physical properties of diaphragms and loudspeaker performance. It opens up new avenues for the design of high-performance bio-based loudspeaker diaphragms in high-fidelity (Hi-Fi) acoustic devices., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The cleavage of the benzene-oxygen (C aryl -O(C)) bond of the lignin β-O-4 linkage is expected to relieve condensation of the degradation product and improve the product value. Nevertheless, the electrochemical breaking of the C aryl -O(C) bond has not been achieved yet due to the high dissociation energy (∼409 kJ mol -1 ) and the easy over-reduction of aromatic compounds. Here, we report an aqueous electrochemical reduction strategy for breaking C aryl -O(C) bonds via the regulation of molecular adsorption. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements reveal that the residual Cu(I) in the CuO electrocatalyst enhances the adsorption of the 2-phenoxy-1-phenylethyl alcohol (PPE) by the C aryl -O(C) bond and lowers the energy barrier of the protons attacking the oxygen atom in the β-O-4 linkage. Thus, compared to the Cu electrocatalyst (with a hydroquinone yield of 47.4% and a benzyl alcohol yield of 24.8%), the CuO nanorod exhibits a much higher yield of hydroquinone (95.3%) and benzyl alcohol (88.6%) at a potential of -0.4 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) in an undivided cell. Moreover, the reaction pathway and the cleavage of the C aryl -O(C) bond are identified through a combination of in situ synchrotron-radiation Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (SR-FTIR) and DFT calculations. This effective method is utilized for poplar lignin electrolysis, yielding 10.9 wt % of guaiacylglycerol, with an outstanding selectivity of >63.0%. This work provides an efficient and mild method of cleavage of C aryl -O(C) bonds in lignin valorization.

The mechanism underlying the interfacial interaction between ZnO and surface functional groups, which drives the self-assembly of ZnO nanoflowers on the cellulose nanofibril (CNF) surface, remains inadequately understood. Moreover, the ideal sites for the loading and growth of ZnO nanoflowers on the oxygen atoms (O s ) of various surface functional groups on the CNF surface are not well-defined. This work addressed these gaps by systematically regulating the size and surface charge density of CNF templates through minor surface modifications and adjustments in processing cycles by using an ultrafine grinder. Physicochemical analyses demonstrated that the ZnO nanoflowers exhibited sizes (μm)/pieces/thickness (nm) of 0.86/16/20.1 for ZnO/TOCNFs, 0.88/17/20.4 for ZnO/ACNFs, and 0.89/16/20.5 for ZnO/ECNFs, respectively. Simulation calculations revealed that the interaction between Zn 2+ ions and the O s of hydroxyl (-OH) groups exhibited the most favorable binding energy of -31.7 kcal/mol. These findings suggested that the surface charge density rather than specific surface functional groups primarily governs the loading and growth of ZnO nanoflowers on the CNF surface. The O S from -OH groups on the surface of CNF templates were optimal for both the loading and growth of ZnO nanoflowers. Overall, this study provides crucial theoretical insights into the design and optimization of the ZnO/CNF composites.

Psilocin, or 4-HO-DMT (or 3-(2-dimethylaminoethyl)-1H-indol-4-ol), is a psychoactive alkaloid substance from the tryptamine family, isolated from Psilocybe mushrooms. This substance is being studied by various research groups because it has a clear therapeutic effect in certain dosages. In this work, the study of the structure and properties of psilocin was carried using theoretical methods: the effects of polar solvents (acetonitrile, dimethylsulfoxide, water, and tetrahydrofuran) on the structural parameters, spectroscopic properties (Raman, IR, and UV-Vis), frontier molecular orbital (FMO), molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) surface, and nonlinear optical parameters (NLO). Theoretical calculations were performed at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level by the density functional theory (DFT) method. IEFPCM was used to account for solvent effects. The types and nature of non-covalent interactions (NCI) between psilocin and solvent molecules were determined using Atoms in Molecules (AIM), the reduced density gradient method (RDG), the electron localization function (ELF), and the localization orbital locator (LOL). Experimental and calculated FT-IR, FT-Raman, and UV-Vis spectra were compared and found to be in good agreement., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) can serve as an efficient surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) platform for in situ detection of trace targets. In this study, a highly reproducible SERS platform based on TEMPO-oxidized CNFs (T-CNFs) was fabricated by the ion-exchange. Self-assembly of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was accomplished in only 120 s. The abundant carboxylate groups and good hydrophilicity of T-CNFs facilitated uniform and dense loading of AgNPs over the surface area. The obtained SERS substrate greatly enhanced the Raman signal of different pesticides, and the detection limits of thiram and thiabendazole were 5.81 × 10 -8  M and 9.63 × 10 -8  M, respectively. SERS substrate could produce homogeneous Raman-enhanced signals (relative standard deviation (RSD) = 6.59 %). In addition, due to the good flexibility, SERS substrate could collect and detect pesticide residues from the surface of apples. The intensities of Raman characteristic peak at 1384 cm -1 showed a good linear relationship with the analyte concentrations (0.96 ng/cm 2 -9600 ng/cm 2 ). The constructed SERS substrate provided a theoretical basis for the preliminary rapid screening of hazardous chemical residues in food, which was of great value for the SERS technique to become a routine on-site analysis method for pesticide residues., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors state that there are no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

As an emerging non-wood resource, moso bamboo has attracted extensive attention because of its short growth cycle and high holocellulose content. However, the internal structure of moso bamboo is more compact than that of wood, leading to higher chemical consumption during the pulping process, which greatly reduces the quality of the extracted fibers. Herein, an innovative pulping system including enzymes and alkali is proposed to achieve higher-quality extraction of moso bamboo fibers. Benefiting from the synergistic effects of high-temperature and alkali-resistant cellulase, xylanase, and laccase, supplemented with alkaline pulping, adequate retention and softening of moso bamboo fibers were ultimately achieved. The sample treated with an enzyme/alkali system resulted in a relative increase in fiber length of 7.19 % and a 31.26 % increase in beating efficiency over alkaline pulping. In addition, the tensile index and tearing index of the paper treated with the enzyme/alkali system reached 50.17 N·m·g -1 and 9.12 mN·m 2 ·g -1 , which were 22.52 % and 20.53 % higher than those of the alkaline pulping, respectively. This work provides new insights into the production of high-performance moso bamboo fibers and paper with low energy and alkali consumption., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Prussian blue analogs (PBA) exhibit excellent potential for energy storage due to their unique three-dimensional open framework and abundant redox active sites. However, the dissolution of transition metal ions in water can compromise the structural integrity of PBAs, leading to significant issues such as low cycle life and capacity decay. To address these challenges, we proposed a dual-effect additive-modified electrolyte method to alleviate such issues, introducing sodium ferrocyanide (Na 4 Fe(CN) 6 ) into aqueous alkaline electrolytes. It could not only capture Zn 2+ dissolved on the surface of Na 1.86 Zn 1.46 [Fe(CN) 6 ] 0.87 (ZnHCF) electrode material during the cycling process but also conduct redox reactions on the electrode surface to provide additional capacitance. Through experiments and molecular simulation calculations, it showed that Na 4 Fe(CN) 6 can restrict the movement of Zn dissolution into the electrolyte on the electrode surface. Based on this, an asymmetric supercapacitor based on ZnHCF//activated carbon was assembled with a modified electrolyte. The assembled supercapacitor displayed a specific capacitance of 1,329.65 mF cm -2 , a power density of 2,900 mW cm -2 , and an energy density of 388.28 mW h cm -2 . This study provides a new idea for the design and construction of stable and efficient PBA energy storage materials by inhibiting the leaching of transition metals in PBA., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Developing sustainable matrix and efficient bonding mode for preparing room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) materials with full-color afterglows is attractive but still challenging. Here, xylan, a hemicellulose by-product from the paper mill, is used to construct full-color RTP materials based on imine bonds. Xylan is oxidation by periodate to introduce aldehyde groups to increase reaction sites; aromatic amines with different π conjugations can be readily anchored to dialdehyde xylan (DAX) by imine chemistry. The dual rigid environments were constructed by hydrogen bonding and imine covalent bonding, which can facilitate the triplet population and suppress non-radiative transitions, thus the xylan derivatives display satisfactory RTP performances. As the degree of conjugation of the chromophore increases, the afterglow colors can be changed from blue to green, yellow, and then to red. Thus, such a universal, facile, and eco-friendly strategy can be used to fabricate full-color RTP materials, which show a bright future in information encryption and advanced anti-counterfeiting. These results unambiguously state that the biodegradable paper mill waste-based RTP materials are convincingly expected to replace and surpass petroleum polymer-based counterparts., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Food safety and wastage caused by fruit deterioration is a serious global problem. Effective packaging systems for extending the freshness period of fruit play a key role in food safety. In this work, we constructed an eco-friendly and flexible polysaccharide-based packaging film based on hydroxypropyl guar (HPG), cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), deep eutectic solvents (DES) and anthocyanin (Anth). DES could endow polysaccharide films with multiple hydrogen bond numbers and good stability. Hydroxypropyl guar/cellulose nanocrystals/anthocyanin with 0.2 g deep eutectic solvents (HCA-DES 0.2 ) had good tensile properties, oxygen barrier properties (3.01 cm 3 /m 2 ·day·Pa), water resistance (WCA 111.97°), antibacterial (CFU ˂ 10 3 ), and transparency (55.4 %). The preservation tests of grape and blueberry showed that the shelf life of these two fruits was 12-20 days, and the polysaccharide film had great application potential in fruit preservation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In a quest to find eco-friendly materials from renewable resources, researchers have focused on cellulose materials, which is the primary reinforcing component of plant cell walls. Nanocellulose is at the forefront of research due to its wide range of sources, biocompatibility, large surface area and tunable surface chemistry. It has gained considerable attention in various industries as a nano-reinforcement for polymer matrices due to its hierarchical structure (medical and healthcare, oil and gas, packaging, paper, board, composites, printed and flexible electronics, 3D printing, aerogels). In this paper, we have reviewed the recent advances in nanocellulose production, physical properties, structural characterization, surface modification strategies, pretreatment methods, applications, limitations and future directions. This review emphasizes the quantification of nanocellulose extraction and applications of the most prevalent areas of nanocellulose research. In view of its increasing and broader applications, the demand for nanocellulose is expected to increase in the future., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This research introduces a novel upcycling method for transforming cigarette filters-an abundant and persistent environmental waste-into high-performance epoxy composites reinforced with cellulose nanofibers. The innovation lies in extracting cellulose acetate nanofibers from used cigarette butts via a multi-step purification and electrospinning process, followed by their conversion into regenerated cellulose nanofibers through alkaline hydrolysis. This dual-fiber approach allows us to fabricate four distinct epoxy composites, each reinforced by different nanofiber types: recycled cellulose acetate nanofibers, regenerated cellulose nanofibers from recycled cigarette filters, and their commercial counterparts. Notably, this is the first time regenerated nanofibers derived from waste cigarette filters have been utilized for epoxy composite reinforcement, demonstrating a sustainable, high-value use for a major pollutant. Comprehensive characterizations, including FTIR, XRD, SEM, and contact angle measurements, confirmed the successful regeneration of cellulose nanofibers, showing improved hydrophilicity, reduced crystallinity, and uniform nanofiber morphology with diameters between 200 and 300 nm. The innovation further extends to the mechanical performance of these composites: tensile tests revealed that those reinforced with regenerated cellulose nanofibers exhibited superior tensile strength (49.5-53.8 MPa), significantly outperforming both cellulose acetate nanofiber composites (40.1-42.6 MPa) and neat epoxy resin (31.4 MPa). This marked improvement is attributed to enhanced nanofiber dispersion and interfacial adhesion within the epoxy matrix, an essential advancement over traditional composites. In addition, thermal analysis showed that all composites maintained thermal stability in the 300-400 °C range, comparable to commercial alternatives. The regenerated nanofiber-reinforced composites also displayed enhanced optical transparency due to reduced light scattering, making them ideal candidates for applications requiring both mechanical strength and optical clarity. By pioneering the use of cigarette filter waste for fabricating advanced cellulose nanofiber composites, this study presents an eco-friendly approach to addressing environmental pollution while creating sustainable materials with superior mechanical, thermal, and optical properties., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The increasing interest in lignin, a complex and abundant biopolymer, stems from its ability to produce environmentally beneficial biobased products. β-Etherases play a crucial role by breaking down the β-aryl ether bonds in lignin. This comprehensive review covers the latest advancements in β-etherase-mediated lignin valorization, focusing on substrate selectivity, enzymatic oxidative activity, and engineering methods. Research on the microbial origin, protein modification, and molecular structure determination of β-etherases has improved our understanding of their effectiveness. Furthermore, the use of these enzymes in biorefinery processes is promising for enhancing lignin breakdown and creating more valuable products. The review also discusses the challenges and future potential of β-etherases in advancing lignin valorization for biorefinery applications that are economically viable and environmentally sustainable., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Lignocellulosic papers (LCP) are favored for electrical insulating applications due to their environmental friendliness, ease of processing, and cost-effectiveness. However, the loose structure and numerous pores inside LCP result in the poor mechanical and electrical insulating properties, posing challenges in meeting the requirements for the rapid upgrading of high-voltage electrical equipment. Herein, a 3D interconnective structure composed of 3D aramid nanofibers (ANF) and 2D carbonylated basalt nanosheets (CBSNs) is introduced to enhance the structure and the chemical bonding interactions of LCP. This is achieved by impregnating LCP into an ANF-CBSNs suspension, where the 3D interconnective ANF framework hosts numerous CBSNs. The resultant LCP/ANF-CBSNs (LCP/A-C) composite papers exhibit multilayered structure and multiple hydrogen-bonding interactions, demonstrating excellent mechanical and electrical insulating properties. Notably, the optimized LCP/A-C5 composite papers exhibit remarkable tensile strength (23.15 MPa) and dielectric breakdown strength (20.14 kV·mm -1 ), respectively, representing 229 % and 145 % increase compared to those of the control LCP. These impressive properties are integrated with excellent bending ability, outstanding high temperature resistance, exceptional volume resistivity, and low dielectric constant and loss, demonstrating their potential as highly promising electrical insulating papers for advanced high-power electrical equipment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This work aims to apply carbon quantum dots (CQDs) from agriculture cellulosic waste (agro wastes), produced via an economically and eco-friendly single-step method, to be used into cellulose acetate composite microfibrous membranes as an innovative solution specifically designed to adsorb methylene blue (MB) and other cationic dyes that are present in various water effluents. Batch adsorption tests were conducted, with variations in contact time (1-24 h), initial MB concentration (25-300 ppm), and adsorbent doses (1-20 g/L). The maximum adsorption capacity of the membrane was 198 mg/g with an initial concentration of 300 ppm at 298 K. Thermodynamic parameters showed that the process is endothermic. Equilibrium experimental data for MB adsorption onto electrospun adsorbent were fitted using different isothermal models, with the Freundlich model showing the best fit. The pseudo-second-order model accurately described the kinetic data with high reliability (R 2  > 0.99), and the calculated adsorption capacity was very close to the experimental data. N-CQDs loaded membranes were also tested for removing methyl violet and rhodamine B, demonstrating remarkably high dye removal efficiency. The underlying adsorption mechanism was also reported. Finally, it is worth mentioning that composite adsorbents can be efficiently applied to actual industrial cases because of the possibility of reusing them, opening the route to the fabrication of novel and highly performant adsorbents. These findings underscore N-CQDs' effectiveness in enhancing pollutant removal efficiency from wastewater, highlighting their environmental benefits and promoting a more sustainable approach to water treatment. Therefore, the prepared adsorbent, showing excellent adsorption performance, places them among adsorbents for practical applications in wastewater purification., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Wheat straw, as a non-wood fiber waste, is available worldwide and can be used in cellulosic matric production, promoting the application of sustainable materials. However, poor fiber properties and water drainage are the primary obstacles to its utilization. In this study, wheat straw pulp fibers were chemically crosslinked by citric acid (CA) in an environmentally friendly process. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectra confirmed that the chemical treatment introduced carboxylic groups to cellulose fibers. Meanwhile, X-ray diffraction patterns showed that the crystallinity of cellulose was reduced. The average fiber length and water retention value of the pulp decreased with increasing CA dosage under the conditions of 3 mL/g CA 4 (4 wt% CA), and the drainage performance of the cellulose pulp improved by 21 %. Also, the crosslinking of fibers contributed to the mechanical properties of the cellulosic matrix, increasing the dry and wet strength by 21 % and 282 %, respectively. These results demonstrated that citric acid could be a sustainable method for improving the properties of wheat straw fibers, thereby promoting its application in fabricating sustainable materials., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Hypochlorous acid (HClO/ClO - ) is a key reactive oxidative species (ROS) in the body. The HClO/ClO - concentrations are imbalanced during cancer formation due to the ROS stress response. This paper introduces a novel chitosan-based self-calibration fluorescent nanoprobe (ChCyNil) constructed by molecular assembly for the ratiometric detection of HClO/ClO - . Two chromophores with different fluorescence characteristics and HClO/ClO - sensitivity were labeled on chitosan, and nanoparticles were prepared by a self-assembly strategy for HClO/ClO - detection. ChCyNil exhibits several advantages, such as dual near-infrared emissions at 670 nm and 845 nm, tunable fluorescence intensity, self-calibration fluorescence, and good biocompatibility, improving its accuracy in HClO/ClO - detection. Our study confirmed that ChCyNil exhibits a well-assembled spheroidal nanostructure and good photophysical properties in solution. The fluorescence imaging properties were further proved by detecting endogenous HClO/ClO - produced by LPS/PMA stimuli in cells and zebrafish. In addition, ChCyNil was used to detect the fluorescence behavior of HClO/ClO - in tumors of live mice. The successful design and fabrication of ChCyNil have presented a new strategy for constructing detection tools with improved fluorescence properties for HClO/ClO - in live animals., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Hydrogels with remarkable flexibility have gained popularity as materials for current research. However, the unfavorable properties of short-term adhesion, susceptibility to damage, and freezing in low-temperature presented by conventional hydrogels have become bottlenecks for further applications. In this work, an anti-freezing hydrogel with excellent mechanical, adhesion, and self-healing properties were developed by constructing a persistent semiquinone/quinone-catechol redox equilibrium environment. The introduction of lignin-modified cellulose nanofibers (LCNFs) significantly improved the overall mechanical properties of the material, driven by strong hydrogen bond interactions. This enhancement was evident in the tensile properties (97.74 ± 1.72 kPa, 783 %) and compression properties (> 90 %). Within the internal network of the gel, the synergistic action of lignin and ammonium persulfate resulted in the production of catechol, which imparted the gel with excellent adhesion properties (28.26 ± 2.13 KPa) and broad adhesion applicability. In addition, the incorporation of ethylene glycol (EG) positively contributed to the strengthening of the gel while endowed with tunable anti-freezing properties. Given the exceptional advantages of the prepared hydrogels, they were used to assemble flexible strain sensors with outstanding sensitivity for monitoring human motions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

CO 2 is the main pollutant in biogas, reducing its calorific value. Among various technological methods to eliminate carbon dioxide from biogas, membrane separation technology stands out for large-scale industrial biogas purification due to its advantages. The selection of membrane material and preparation process are key factors in membrane separation technology. In this study, a premixing process was initially used to blend different masses of packed molecular sieves TS-1 (or ZSM-5) and cellulose derivatives (ethyl cellulose, cellulose acetate) separately. These mixtures were then coated onto porous PVDF substrates using a coating process to create various bilayer hybrid composite membranes. Among these, PVDF/EC-ZSM-5 (containing 15 % ZSM-5) bilayer hybrid composite membrane is the most fitting. For CO 2 /CH 4 gas mixtures, the gas selectivity of this membrane surpassed Robeson's 1991 standard line (the CO 2 permeability was 597.48 Barrer, and the CO 2 /CH 4 selectivity was 9.14). Overall, this composite membrane, made for the first time from PVDF, ZSM-5, and EC, is expected to be a promising CO 2 selective separation membrane material for biogas purification in large-scale industrial processes due to its simple production process., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors report no declarations of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Development of green packaging materials is essential to replace traditional plastics in fresh agricultural products preservation. Herein, a coated paper was designed by applying chitosan-based composite coating on paper substrate through a facile automatic coating method. The hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride chitosan (HACC) was obtained by direct quaternization via the introduction of hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride into the amino group of chitosan, then mixed with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to prepare the HACC/PVA coating. Accordingly, the key performance of coated paper were improved ascribed to the synergy effect of HACC/PVA coating and paper substrate. In particular, the minimum oxygen permeability of the coated paper could reach to 0.87 × 10 -13  cm 3 ·cm/cm 2 ·s·Pa, and the optimum water vapor permeability and tensile strength of HACC/PVA coated paper was 0.75 × 10 -12  g·cm/cm 2 ·s·Pa and 6.88 kN/m, respectively. The coated paper used as packaging material not only reduced weight loss ratio of strawberry and greengrocery, but also exhibited lower chromatic aberration and better sensory evaluation, indicating a favorable effect on fruit and vegetable storage. Taken together, the designed eco-friendly coated paper has shown tremendous potential for green and biodegradable packaging material in agricultural products preservation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Novel eco-friendly strength agent has inspired much attention of researchers. Herein, the PEI-KH560 prepared by PEI (polyethyleneimine) and KH560 (γ-glycidyl ether propyl trimethoxysilane) was added in the pulp suspension to enhance the paper performance. The results showed that the m(PEI):m(KH560) ratio and PEI's molecular weight were closely related with the paper strength and hydrophobicity. The SEM morphology of paper surface showed that the fiber-fiber crosslinking reached the tightest, at the optimal m(PEI):m(KH560) ratio and PEI's molecular weight. The results showed that when the M w (molecular weight) of PEI was 10,000 and the m(PEI):m(KH560) ratio was 1:2, the PEI-KH560 presented the best strengthening performance on the paper strength and hydrophobicity. Dry tensile index and wet tensile index could reach 29.9 N·m/g and 1.37 N·m/g after adding the PEI 10000 -KH560 in pulp suspension before the paper formation. Further, the effect of process conditions (temperature, time, the addition amount, and pulp concentration) on the strength and hydrophobicity of paper network structure was investigated, after adding PEI-KH560 into the pulp suspension. It was of great significance for studying the mechanism between the chemical structures of PEI-KH560 and paper performance, which provided valuable theoretical practice on the preparation of novel strength agent., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Good dispersion of carbon fibers is important for the carbon paper production, which is usually achieved using low carbon fiber concentrations and disposable dispersants. In this study, we developed carbomer as a recyclable and high-efficiency dispersant for carbon fibers. When the carbon fiber concentration was 0.1 wt%, carbon fiber suspension showed improved dispersion performance as increasing the carbomer dosage. It exhibited low Turbiscan Stability Index (TSI) of 0.41 and small change of delta backscattering between -0.5 to 0.8 % when using 0.5 wt% carbomer. However, the good dispersibility fade away when increasing the concentration of carbon fibers. Subsequently, the pH of the carbon fiber suspension was adjusted to 7.0 to improve the dispersibility by increasing the viscosity, but causing a worse flowability. Then the pH was further adjusted to 13.0 to ensure good flowability in the wet-forming process and good dispersibility at carbon fiber concentration of 0.5 wt%. More importantly, the dispersant was successfully recycled and still exhibited excellent dispersion effects for carbon fibers after 5 cycles. Notably, the high-efficiency dispersion of carbon fibers and the recyclability of dispersant were achieved simultaneously for the first time, which is suitable for the eco-friendly and sustainable production of carbon paper., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We declare that we have no financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that can inappropriately influences our work. There is no professional or other personal interest of any nature or kind in any product., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In recent years, flexible sensors constructed mainly from hydrogels have received increasing attention. However, conventional hydrogels need to be prepared by high-temperature or radiation-induced polymerization reactions, which limits their practical applications due to their suboptimal electrical conductivity and weak mechanical properties. In this paper, using sodium lignosulfonate as the raw material, a dynamic catechol-quinone redox system formed by lignin‑zinc ions was constructed to initiate rapid free radical polymerization of acrylamide (AM) monomer at room temperature. In addition, Deep eutectic solvent (DES) can form a strong hydrogen bonding network within the molecules and between the molecules of the hydrogel, resulting in a hydrogel with good tensile properties (hydrogel elongation at break of 727.19 %, breaking strength of 84.09 kPa), and provides the hydrogel with high electrical conductivity, anti-dehydration, anti-freezing, and anti-bacterial properties. Meanwhile, the addition of lignin also improved the adhesion and UV resistance of the hydrogel. This hydrogel assembled into a flexible sensor can sense various small and large amplitude movements such as nodding, smiling, frowning, etc., and has a wide range of applications in flexible sensors., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Castor stalk from hemp plants is an attractive lignocellulosic feedstock for biomass refining valorization due to its similar chemical composition to hardwoods. In this study, the castor stalk fibers were pretreated with efficient dual-functional ethanolamine to achieve delignification and swelling of the cellulosic fibers, followed by cellulase enzymatic digestion for biomass conversion. Experimental results showed that ethanolamine pretreatment at 160 °C for 1 h effectively removed 69.20 % of lignin and 43.18 % of hemicellulose. In addition to efficient delignification and removal of hemicellulose, the study also revealed that supramolecular structure of cellulose was another major factor affecting enzymatic hydrolysis performance. The lowered crystallinity (60-70 %) and swelled crystal sizes (2.95-3.04 nm) promoted enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency during the heterogeneous reaction process. Under optimal conditions (160 °C, 1 h; enzyme loading: 15 FPU/g substrate), promoted yields of 100 % glucose and over 90 % xylose were achieved, which were significantly higher than those obtained from untreated castor stalk. These findings highlighted the effectiveness of the dual-functional ethanolamine pretreatment strategy for efficient bioconversion of lignocellulosic feedstocks. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the development of new strategies for the efficient utilization of biomass resources, which is essential for the sustainable development of our society., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Thermosets are well known for their advantages such as high stability and chemical resistance. However, developing sustainable thermosets with degradability and recyclability faces several principal challenges, including reconciling the desired characteristics during service with the recycling and reprocessing properties required at the end of life, establishing efficient methods for large-scale synthesis, and aligning with current manufacturing process. Here a general strategy is presented for the on-demand degradation and recycling of thermosets under mild conditions utilizing dynamic precursors with dual-factor-controlled reversibility. Specifically, dynamic triazine crosslinkers are introduced through dynamic nucleophilic aromatic substitution (S N Ar) into the precursor polyols used in polyurethane (PU) synthesis. Upon removal of the catalyst and alcohol, the reversibility of S N Ar is deactivated, allowing for the use of standard PU polymerization techniques such as injection molding, casting, and foaming. The resulting cyanurate-crosslinked PUs maintain high stability and diverse mechanical properties of traditional crosslinked PUs, yet offer the advantage of easy on-demand depolymerization for recycling by activating the reversibility of S N Ar under specific but mild conditions-a combination of base, alcohol, and mild heat. It is envisioned that this approach, involving the pre-installation of dual-factor-controlled dynamic crosslinkers, can be broadly applied to current thermosetting plastic manufacturing processes, introducing enhanced sustainability., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Recently, hydrogel sensors have been widely applied in wearable and portable electronics, but the low mechanical property, intolerance of fatigue, and low sensitivity and adhesion limit their further applications. In this study, sulfonated nanocellulose (SCNF) with dual functionality was blended into polyacrylamide (PAM) hydrogel matrix to reinforce the mechanical strength and facilitate the homogeneous dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The SCNF-CNT/PAM hydrogel was designed through free radical polymerization to achieve commendable mechanical, electrical, and multifunctional properties. The environmental-friendly SCNF serves as bio-templates to facilitate the assembling of CNT into integrated SCNF-CNT structures with good dispersity, thus enabling the establishment of an integrated conducting and reinforcing network. The fabricated SCNF-CNT/PAM hydrogel exhibited outstanding compressive strength (∼0.45 MPa at 50 % strain), tensile strength (∼169.12 kPa), and antifatigue capacity under cyclic stretching and pressing. Furthermore, the multifunctional sensors assembled using this hydrogel demonstrated high strain sensitivity (gauge factor ~ 3.7 at 100-400 % strain) and effectively detected human motions. This design principle provides promising prospects for constructing next-generation multifunctional flexible sensors, and the integration of these distinctive properties enables the prepared composite hydrogels to find potential applications in various areas, such as implantable soft electronic devices, electronic skin, and human movement monitoring., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study focuses on optimizing the pulping by-product to produce effective hydrogels for controlling the release of salicylic acid (SA). In this regard, two routes are achieved: the first involves preparing black liquor (BL) composite hydrogels with various polymer macromolecules [polyacrylamide (PAM), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and chitosan (Cs), and the second involves carboxymethylation of BL and grafting with acrylamide. Hydrogels are evaluated using spectral analysis (ATR-FTIR), thermal analysis (TGA and DTG), and swelling measures. Encapsulation, release profile, SA release kinetics, as well as ATR-FTIR and SEM measurements, were used to evaluate the behavior of loaded hydrogels. According to the results, grafted carboxymethylated BL-gel had the maximum SA release (98.7 %), followed by PAM-BL (51.7 %) and PAM/PVA-BL (43.1 %). Over a 48-hour period, the hydrogels demonstrated a prolonged SA release pattern. The Ritger-Peppas and Higuchi models fitted to all examined hydrogels showed that SA release followed both Fickian and non-Fickian diffusion pathways., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Authors declare that there is no conflict among the contributing author related to the financial or non-financial interests that are directly or indirectly related to the work submitted for publication., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The hybrid composite sample based on Prosopis Juliflora (PJ) bark and ramie fibre with different length, weight percentage, and curing temperature were created for the first time in this work. Totally, 120 hybrid composite samples were tested in this study. There were five different fibre lengths: 10 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, and 30 mm, weight percentages 10 %, 20 %, 30 %, 40 %, and 50 %, and different curing temperatures 80 °C, 90 °C, 100 °C, 110 °C, and 120 °C used to produce the hybrid composite samples. Due to the cross-linking ability with the epoxy matrix, the hybrid composite specimen shows high resistance up to 98 Shore D hardness. The high polarity of the epoxy matrix and the hydrogen bond strengthening effect, increased the composite sample flexural strength by 12 %. The curing temperature of 100 °C, 20 mm fibre length, and 30 % of the hybrid composite sample achieved the highest tensile strength (28.76 MPa), flexural strength (46.54 MPa), impact strength (4.5 J), and hardness strength properties (98 shore D). Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed the composite samples initial decomposition temperature (T i ) at 98 °C, maximum decomposition temperature (T max ) at 320 °C, and the final decomposition temperature (T f ) at 466 °C., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Polysulfide shuttle and sluggish sulfur redox kinetics remain key challenges in lithium-sulfur batteries. Previous researches have shown that introducing oxygen into transition metal sulfides helps to capture polysulfides and enhance their conversion kinetics. Based on this, further investigations are conducted to explore the impact of oxygen doping levels on the physical-chemical properties and electrocatalytic performance of MoS 2 . The findings reveal that MoS 2 doped with high-content oxygen exhibits enhanced conductivity and polysulfides conversion kinetics compared to MoS 2 with low-content oxygen doping, which can be attributed to the alteration of crystal structure from 2H-phase to the 1T-phase, the introduction of increased Li-O interactions, and the effect of defects resulting from high-oxygen doping. Consequently, the lithium-sulfur batteries using high-oxygen doped MoS 2 as a catalyst deliver a high discharge capacity of 1015 mAh g -1 at 0.25C and maintain 78.5% capacity after 300 more cycles. Specifically, lithium-sulfur batteries employing paper-based electrodedemonstrate an areal capacity of 3.91 mAh cm -2 at 0.15C, even with sulfur loading of 4.1 mg cm -2 and electrolyte of 6.7 µL mg -1 . These results indicate that oxygen doping levels can modify the properties of MoS 2 , and high-oxygen doped MoS 2 shows promise as an efficient catalyst for lithium-sulfur batteries., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Anthocyanins have attracted a lot of attention in the fields of natural pigments, food packaging, and functional foods due to their color, antioxidant, and nutraceutical properties. However, the poor chemical stability and low bioavailability of anthocyanins currently limit their application in the food industry. Various methods can be used to modify the structure of anthocyanins and thus improve their stability and bioavailability characteristics under food processing, storage, and gastrointestinal conditions. This paper aims to review in vitro modification methods for altering the molecular structure of anthocyanins, as well as their resulting improved properties such as color, stability, solubility, and antioxidant properties, and functional applications as pigments, sensors and functional foods. In industrial production, by mixing co-pigments with anthocyanins in food systems, the color and stability of anthocyanins can be improved by using non-covalent co-pigmentation. By acylation of fatty acids and aromatic acids with anthocyanins before incorporation into food systems, the surface activity of anthocyanins can be activated and their antioxidant and bioactivity can be improved. Various other chemical modification methods, such as methylation, glycosylation, and the formation of pyranoanthocyanins, can also be utilized to tailor the molecular properties of anthocyanins expanding their range of applications in the food industry.

The complexity of plant cell walls on different hierarchical levels still impedes the detailed understanding of biosynthetic pathways, interferes with processing in industry and finally limits applicability of cellulose materials. While there exist many challenges to readily accessing these hierarchies at (sub-) angström resolution, the development of advanced computational methods has the potential to unravel important questions in this field. Here, we summarize the contributions of molecular dynamics simulations in advancing the understanding of the physico-chemical properties of natural fibres. We aim to present a comprehensive view of the advancements and insights gained from molecular dynamics simulations in the field of carbohydrate polymers research. The review holds immense value as a vital reference for researchers seeking to undertake atomistic simulations of plant cell wall constituents. Its significance extends beyond the realm of molecular modeling and chemistry, as it offers a pathway to develop a more profound comprehension of plant cell wall chemistry, interactions, and behavior. By delving into these fundamental aspects, the review provides invaluable insights into future perspectives for exploration. Researchers within the molecular modeling and carbohydrates community can greatly benefit from this resource, enabling them to make significant strides in unraveling the intricacies of plant cell wall dynamics., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Polyphenols have a variety of physiological activities, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, their applications are often limited because due to the instability of polyphenols. Encapsulation technologies can be employed to overcome these problems and increase the utilization of polyphenols. In this article, the utilization of protein-based nanoparticles for encapsulating polyphenols is reviewed due to their good biocompatibility, biodegradability, and functional attributes. Initially, the various kinds of animal and plant proteins available for forming protein nanoparticles are discussed, as well as the fabrication methods that can be used to assemble these nanoparticles. The molecular interaction mechanisms between proteins and polyphenols are then summarized. Applications of protein-based nanoparticles for encapsulating polyphenols are then discussed, including as nutrient delivery systems, in food packaging materials, and in the creation of functional foods. Finally, areas where further research is need on the development, characterization, and application of protein-based polyphenol-loaded nanoparticles are highlighted.