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The prepared Zn anchored aminoclay (AC) was tested to characterize its catalytic performance on the reduction of the hazardous pollutants. The structure of Zn-AC catalyst system was confirmed by FTIR. The particle size of anchored Zn nanoparticle with AC as well as the microstructure of the Zn-AC system were investigated using HR-TEM. The UV–visible spectral analysis was performed to carry out the catalytic reduction study. The efficiency of the catalyst was assessed using kapp value.

Ring opening polymerization (ROP) of ε-caprolactone (CL) was carried out by bulk polymerization technique using stannous octoate (SO) as a catalyst and in the presence of macro or molecular initiator for 5 h under inert atmosphere with mild stirring. The % yield of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) obtained was calculated and compared based on the chemical structure of macro and molecular initiators. Various analytical techniques such as FT-IR, 1H-NMR, XPS, GPC, DSC, TGA, SEM and WCA were used to characterize the PCL. The FT-IR spectrum showed the C=O stretching around ∼1725 cm−1. The aromatic proton signal of isoeugenol (IE) initiator appeared at 7–8 ppm in the proton NMR spectrum. The experimental results obtained were compared with the literature values.

Polymers with new C–N bond formation between monoethyleneglycoldimethacrylate and substituted amines at 100 °C under nitrogen atmosphere with vigorous stirring condition and without any catalyst or a solvent via aza-Michael addition (AMA) reaction was synthesized. Thus, synthesized polymer was characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, UV–visible spectra, DSC, TGA, XRD, SEM and intrinsic viscosity measurements. Further, the adsorption behaviour of the same was tested towards the methyleneblue (MB), congored (CR) and crystalviolet (CV) dyes. The FT-IR spectrum showed the disappearance of –NH2 stretching. The anthranilicacid (AnA)-based AMA polymer exhibited the highest degradation temperature (Td) value of 448 °C. Among the polymers synthesized the AnA based one showed the highest adsorption of 96%. The experimental results were compared with the literature values.

The ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of tetrahydrofuran (THF) and ε-caprolactone (CL) was performed at 160 oC for 2 hr under N2 ambiance by using two different dyes such as fluorescein (Flur) and rhodamine6G (R6G) as novel initiators. The structure of the dye centered diblock copolymers was concluded by analyzing the NMR spectra. The melt transition temperature and thermal stability of the polymers were concluded by DSC and TGA. The FT-IR spectra concluded the structure of the dye grafted homopolymer and diblock copolymers. The increase in molecular weight (Mw) of the dye-centered diblock copolymer was concluded by the GPC measurement. The conjugation of dye with the polymer backbone was carried out by a single-step method.

The bio-synthesis of Ag nanoparticles (SNP) was carried out using the Murraya Koeniji leaf extract. The functionalities of bio-synthesized SNP were confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy. The morphology of the SNP was analyzed using SEM. The UV–Vis spectra showed an absorption peak at 435 nm for the prepared SNP. The XRD pattern exhibited the diffraction peaks associated with the SNP. The antibacterial activity of bio-synthesized SNPs was examined against pathogenic bacterial strains such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia and Staphylococcus aureus. The cytotoxicity test was performed against brine shrimps and human fibroblast cells and its results showed that the bio-synthesized SNP is non-toxic even at higher concentrations.

The deoxyfluorouridine tagged poly(d,l-Lactide) was prepared by the ROP method using deoxyfluorouridine (DF) as an initiator and stannous octoate (SO) as a catalyst under N2 atmosphere at 160 °C for 2 h. ROP of d,l-Lactide was also achieved at various monomer to initiator [M/I] ratios whereas the ratio of monomer to catalyst [M/C] was kept at 1000. For polymer characterization, FT-IR, 1H-NMR, UV–visible, fluorescence emission spectra, SEM, GPC, DSC, TGA and POM were used. The FT-IR based RI[C=O/C–H] indicated a 0.23 order of ROP of d,l-Lactide. The increase in Tm of PLLA was observed while increasing the ratio of [M/I]. The GPC results declared the ring-opening activity of DF toward d,l-Lactide. The presence of microvoids made the PLLA as a suitable candidate for sustainable drug delivery applications. The release of DF from PLLA was examined to assess the drug release efficiency of the prepared polymer system at three different pH levels.

A novel Fe anchored aminoclay was prepared and characterized. The prepared novel Fe-AC catalyst was tested toward both the reduction and oxidation reactions. The catalytic reduction was achieved to...

Magnetic Fe2O3 nanopowder was synthesized and characterized by various analytical techniques. The PVA/Fe2O3 nanocomposites were prepared by solution casting method to investigate the effect of nanofillers on their physicochemical properties. The analytical tools such as FTIR, UV–visible spectra and XRD were used to analyze the structure of Fe2O3 nanopowder and PVA/Fe2O3 nanocomposites. The uniform distribution of the Fe2O3 nanofillers on the PVA matrix was inspected using SEM. The particle size of the crystalline Fe2O3 nanofillers was observed to be less than 30 nm from the TEM micrographs. The optical characteristics of the prepared samples were investigated by analyzing their UV–visible spectra. The bandgap of PVA nanocomposites was lower than for pure PVA due to the dispersed Fe2O3 nanofillers in the PVA matrix. The thermal properties of pristine PVA and PVA/Fe2O3 nanocomposites were investigated by TGA. The PVA/Fe2O3 nanocomposite systems exhibited the improved thermal stability. The thermal degradation mechanism of PVA/Fe2O3 nanocomposite system was inspected in depth at five different heating rates under non-isothermal conditions. The electrical and mechanical properties of PVA were enhanced remarkably while increasing the % weight loading of nanopowder.

Atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) of silicon carbide (SiC) is a challenging task due to the severe decomposition behaviour of the SiC. Previous studies, which utilized APS technique, mixed SiC powder with metals and/or metal oxides to prepare SiC coating. None of them sprayed silica gel-coated SiC and examined the characteristics of the coatings. In this work, silica gel-coated SiC, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) enhanced silica gel-coated SiC, and the combination of alumina (Al2O3) and SiC were prepared and then deposited onto a titanium (Ti) plate by APS. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), adhesion and acid resistance test were performed to analyse the characteristics of modified powders and coatings. We found that compared to Commercial-SiC coatings, all the modified SiC coatings not only increase the coating thickness but also enhance the adhesion force between the coating and substrate; furthermore, the SDS-modified sample exhibits good sulfuric acid (H2SO4) resistance. On the other hand, samples containing Al2O3 showed a significant increase in coating thickness and adhesion force, despite a bit lower acid resistance. In sum, we believe that compared to silica-gel coated samples, Al2O3 contained samples are more suitable for industrial application.

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanocomposites incorporated with ZnO nanofiller were prepared and examined to study the influence of nanofiller on their properties. All the prepared samples were analyzed using FTIR and XRD. The observation of M–O stretching peak (at 526 cm−1) in the samples indicated the interaction of ZnO with PVA matrix. The XRD patterns of PVA nanocomposites confirmed the presence of ZnO nanofiller. The uniform dispersion of ZnO nanofiller as well as the interaction of nanofiller with the PVA matrix was also observed in SEM study. The size of the ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) was estimated to be less than 35 nm from the TEM micrograph. The light absorption and transmittance behaviors of the PVA nanocomposites were examined by analyzing the UV–visible spectra. The prepared PVA nanocomposite films exhibited high absorption in the UV region. The band gap of PVA was decreased after incorporating the ZnO NPs. The thermal property and non-isothermal degradation behavior of the polymer nanocomposites were assessed using a TGA instrument. The energy of activation associated with the thermal decomposition behavior of the polymer composites was determined using the kinetic models. The DC electrical conductivity, mechanical properties, and thermal stability of the nanocomposite films were enhanced by the addition of ZnO NPs as compared with the pure PVA.

Ring opening polymerization of e-caprolactone and tetrahydrofuran was carried out under inert atmosphere with the monomer-to-initiator ratio of 100 and treated with AgNO3 to form Ag nanoparticle-centered diblock copolymer. Amino acids such as alanine (Ala) and asparagine (Aspar) were used as a lone chemical initiator at 160 °C in the presence of stannous octoate as a catalyst. The resultant Ala- and Aspar-bridged diblock copolymer was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectra, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and circular dichroism spectroscopy techniques. The FTIR spectrum showed a peak corresponding to the tetrahydrofuranium ion and confirmed the diblock copolymer formation. The diblock copolymer formation was confirmed by an increase in Mw in the GPC analysis. The HRTEM showed the size of the Ag nanoparticles was less than 10 nm. The Ag end-capped diblock copolymers were tested for catalytic reduction of p-nitrophenol (NiP) and the apparent rate constant (kapp) for the reduction of NiP was calculated as 1.15 × 10–2 s−1 with the help of UV–Visible spectrophotometer. The Ag nanoparticle-centered diblock copolymer was tested for low-temperature splinting application. Mechanical properties of the polymers were also tested.

A diblock copolymer consists of e-caprolactone, and tetrahydrofuran was synthesized by using a novel natural amino acids such as penicillamine and tyrosine as a chemical initiator in the presence of stannous octoate as a catalyst through bulk polymerization method under nitrogen atmosphere with mild stirring condition. The synthesized diblock copolymer was treated with AgNO3 to form a nano-Ag-tagged diblock copolymer. The above-synthesized polymer systems were characterized by various analytical tools such as FTIR spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, fluorescence emission spectroscopy, circular dichroism, gel permeation chromatography, FESEM, HRTEM, EDX, DSC and TGA. Its applications toward catalytic reduction of p-nitrophenol (NiP), wound healing activity and low-temperature splinting activity were tested. Due to the incorporation of poly(tetrahydrofuran) (PTHF), the % elongation value of the diblock copolymer was increased but the DSC and TGA results showed depressed results. The HRTEM declared the size of Ag nanoparticle as

The main aim of this study was to prepare polyaniline (PANI) nanocomposites. The CdO nanoparticles were obtained by the sol–gel method. The PANI-CdO nanocomposites were synthesized by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization technique. The chemical structure of CdO, PANI and PANI nanocomposites were confirmed by FTIR and XRD techniques. The surface morphology of CdO and PANI nanocomposites was investigated using SEM. The TEM analysis was used to confirm the actual particle size of the CdO nanoparticles. The morphology and surface roughness of the prepared composites were examined with the help of atomic force microscopy. The band gap values of PANI and PANI nanocomposites were determined using Tauc’s plot. The thermal properties of PANI nanocomposites were assessed using thermogravimetric analysis. The non-isothermal degradation kinetic study was carried out to comprehend the degradation rate and determine the energy of activation (Ea). The dc electrical conductivity study was also carried out for the prepared composites.

An eco-friendly catalyst system was synthesized using three step reaction. The Cu nanoparticles bridged aminoclay catalyst was analyzed using various analytical techniques. The structure of the cat...

Strontium (Sr) mercaptosuccinate (MS) functionalized poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) was prepared by ring opening polymerization technique in the presence of Sr-MS nanohybrid initiator and stannous octoate (SO) catalyst for 2 h at 160 °C under nitrogen atmosphere. FTIR, NMR, DSC, TGA, GPC, POM, TEM and AFM techniques were employed to characterize the Sr-MS functionalized polymer. The FTIR spectrum showed a small peak at 526 cm−1 due to the Sr–O stretching. The particle size of the Sr-MS nanohybrid functionalized PCL matrix was determined as less than 30 nm. The crystallization rate and crystallinity percentage were estimated from the non-isothermal exothermic curves. The crystallization temperature (Tc) was found to be decreased with increasing the cooling rate whereas the degradation temperature (Td) was increased with increasing the heating rate. Various kinetic models were applied to comprehend the degradation behaviour of Sr-MS functionalized PCL as well as its related kinetic parameters under non-isothermal condition. The activation energy (Ea) was calculated for both crystallization (138.5 kJ/mol) and degradation (187 kJ/mol) behaviours of Sr-MS functionalized PCL under non-isothermal condition.

A new type of co-polymer between anthranilic acid cinnamoyl ester and monoethyleneglycol dimethacrylate was synthesized via aza-Michael addition polymerization reaction by bulk polymerization method without adding any catalyst. The polymerization reaction was carried out at 100 °C for 2 h under N2 atmosphere with mild stirring. The co-polymer was synthesized at various monomer ratios. The above-synthesized co-polymer was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, UV–visible reflectance spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy, etc. The FTIR data confirmed the 0.032 order of reaction with respect to [M1/M2]. The amorphous nature of the above-synthesized polymer was confirmed by XRD. The non-isothermal degradation kinetics was followed at five different heating rates with five different models. The goal of the present work is to compare the results from TGA data and select the best approach for the synthesized polymer. The activation energy (Ea) values were also determined by model-free methods. The experimental results were carefully analysed and compared with the literature values.

The Fe3O4–thymolblue (TB) functionalized or end capped poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) was synthesized by ring opening polymerization (ROP) of e-caprolactone (CL) with Fe3O4–TB nanohybrid as an effective initiator in the presence of stannous octoate (SO) as a catalyst. The main aim of the present work is to analyze the influence of polymer chain end capping agent or functionalization agent on the structure–property relationship particularly, crystallization and thermal degradation behavior of PCL under non-isothermal condition. The structure of the polymer was analyzed using FTIR and NMR spectra. The particle size of the incorporated Fe3O4–TB nanohybrid in PCL matrix was found to be less than 20 nm by TEM. The surface morphology, skewness moment and surface roughness were analysed by AFM. The spherulitic growth of the nucleated polymer crystals was confirmed by POM. The spherulitic growth was further verified with various kinetic models. The melting and crystallization behaviors under non-isothermal condition were assessed by DSC. Various kinetic models were employed to comprehend the degradation behavior of Fe3O4–TB functionalized PCL and its associated kinetic parameters under non-isothermal condition. The energy of activation (Ea) for the crystallization and thermal degradation of PCL were found to be 132 and nearly 140 kJ/mol respectively.

The molybdenum thioglycolate (Mo-TG) end capped poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) was prepared in the presence of novel Mo-TG nanohybrid initiator by ring opening polymerization (ROP) technique. The structural analysis was carried out by FTIR, 1H and 13C NMR techniques for the synthesized PCL. The particle size of the end capped Mo-TG nano hybrid in the PCL matrix was analysed by HRTEM. The morphology, surface roughness and average surface roughness of the polymer sample were investigated by AFM. The geometry of the nucleated crystals of PCL was examined using polarized optical microscopy (POM). The crystallization and thermal history of the sample under non-isothermal condition were assessed by DSC and TGA. The morphology of the nucleated crystals was analysed theoretically with the help of kinetic models for Mo-TG end capped PCL under non-isothermal crystallization condition. The kinetic parameters associated with crystallization and degradation processes of PCL were also determined using various kinetic models.

The Mn2+ and Mo6+ based Metal-mercaptoacetate (Metal-MA) hybrids were prepared by a simple acid-base titration method. The prepared Metal-MA hybrids were analysed by FT-IR spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, SEM, particle size analyser (PSA), XRD and EDX. The prepared Metal-MA hybrids were investigated to assess their catalytic activity for ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of ε-caprolactone (CL) in the absence of an initiator at 160 oC in N2 atmosphere by varying the catalyst concentration and temperature. The catalytic activity of the Metal-MA hybrid towards the ROP of CL was concluded by the FTIR-RI method. The % yield, degradation temperature (Td), melting temperature (Tm) and molecular weight (Mw) of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) were also investigated. The structure of PCL was comprehended by analysing its NMR spectrum. The activation energy (Ea) for the ROP of CL was determined as 10,363 Kcal/mol. A linear increase in Mw of PCL with the increasing [M0/I0] ratio was also noticed.

Synthesis of Polyimides (PIs) between pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDAH) and oxydianiline (ODA) or p-phenylenediamine (PPDA) in the presence and absence of V2O5 and Ag nanoparticles (NPs) were carried out under N2 atmosphere at 160 °C for 5 h with vigorous stirring in N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) solvent. The prepared PI and its nanocomposites were analyzed by FT-IR spectroscopy, 1H NMR spectroscopy, FE-SEM, SEM, DSC and TGA like analytical instruments. The FE-SEM showed various surface morphologies for different PI nanocomposites. The particle size of the prepared nanoparticles was calculated as less than 60 nm for Ag and 15 nm for V2O5 nanoparticles by HR-TEM. The PI nanocomposites embedded with Ag nanoparticles (P2 and P5) showed a higher thermal stability than the pristine PIs (P1 and P4) and PI/V2O5 nanocomposites (P3 and P6). Further, the possible application of metal (Ag) and metal oxide (V2O5) NPs embedded PI nanocomposites was assessed on the catalytic reduction of highly toxic Cr(VI), Rhodamine 6G (R6G) dye and p-nitrophenol (NiP) pollutants with the help of a reducing agent (NaBH4). The apparent rate constant (kapp) values were calculated to assess the catalytic efficiency of the prepared PI and its nanocomposites. The PI/Ag nanocomposite (P2) system showed an efficient catalytic reduction than the other systems.

Ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of e-caprolactone (CL) had been performed at 160 °C in the presence of drug molecules such as penicillin g (Pen), streptavidin (Strep) and terramicin (Ter) as a lone chemical initiator using the catalyst, stannous octoate (SO) under N2 atmosphere. The prepared drug bridged poly (e-caprolactone) (PCL) was further copolymerized with tetrahydrofuran (THF) and the diblock copolymers were examined using the various analytical tools (FT-IR, DSC, TGA, SEM, FE-SEM, EDX, UV-visible and GPC). The functionalities of the drug bridged diblock copolymers were concluded by FT-IR spectra. The formation of the diblock copolymer was further understood from the increase in Mw. The drug release activity of homo and diblock copolymer had been tested with the drug release model and mechanism. The mechanical properties are also studied.

Solution polymerization of aniline in the presence of fluorescent organic dyes was carried out at 0–5°C for 2 h under nitrogen atmosphere with FeCl3 as an initiator. The copolymers were pre...

A novel alkaline earth metal salt such as barium mercaptoacetate (Ba-MA) was successfully synthesized and characterized by various analytical techniques such as FTIR spectroscopy, UV–visible spectroscopy, XRD, particle size analysis and SEM. Further, its application towards the ring opening polymerization of e-caprolactone (CL) as a novel initiator was tested at two different experimental conditions such as monomer to initiator ratio [M/I] variation and temperature variation under nitrogen atmosphere with mild stirring condition. The poly(caprolactone) (PCL) formation in the presence of Ba-MA was confirmed by measuring the melting temperature (Tm), degradation temperature (Td), XRD and GPC of PCL. The Tm of PCL varied between 68.4 and 71.6 °C while increasing the [M/I]. The chemical structure and functional groups of PCL were confirmed by NMR spectroscopy and FTIR spectroscopy, respectively. The band gap (Eg) value increased with the increase in [M/I] ratio due to the decrease in Ba content.

The zinc nanoparticle bridged with aminoclay has been synthesized by complexation followed by chemical reduction method. The prepared material has been characterized by various analytical tools. The high-resolution transmission electron microscope image confirms the size of Zn nanoparticle as 2–8 nm. The Zn nanoparticle-bridged aminoclay has been used as a catalyst for the reduction of the mixture of effluents such as hexavalent chromium, p-nitrophenol and fluorescein dye. The apparent rate constant value confirms that the Flur dye exhibited an enhanced value in the mixture of pollutants. The Schiff base formation in chitosan has been carried out in order to prove the catalytic effect of zinc nanoparticle-bridged aminoclay. The experimental results have been carefully analyzed and compared with the literature reports.

The calcium mercaptosuccinate (Ca-MS) functionalized poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) was successfully synthesized by ring-opening polymerization (ROP) method at 160 °C for 2 h under nitrogen atmosphere with mild stirring in the presence of stannous octoate (SO) as ROP catalyst. The synthesized Ca-MS functionalized PCL was characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, HRTEM and polarized optical microscopy (POM) like analytical techniques. The microstructure of Ca-MS nucleated PCL crystals was analysed by POM. The thermal properties of Ca-MS functionalized PCL were examined using differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis techniques. The non-isothermal crystallization and degradation kinetic studies were carried out to assess the crystallinity as well as the energy of activation (Ea) of Ca-MS functionalized PCL. The FTIR spectrum showed a peak at 1720 cm−1 corresponding to the carbonyl stretching of PCL. The 1H-NMR spectrum showed an alkoxy proton signal at 4.1 ppm. The non-isothermal crystallization kinetic study showed the 3D crystal growth with the Ea value of 142.4 kJ/mol.

Metal oxide nanoparticle-mediated solution polymerization of aniline (ANI) with alizarin red (AR) and methyl red (MR) was carried out under different experimental conditions in the presence of FeCl3 as an oxidizing agent at 0–5 °C under nitrogen purging for 2 h. Thus, the synthesized random copolymer was characterized by FTIR, UV–visible, fluorescence emission spectroscopy, FESEM and conductivity measurement. The order of reaction was calculated for monomer and metal oxide nanoparticles variations. The FTIR spectrum showed a peak at 1462 cm−1 corresponding to the N=N stretching of MR dye in the copolymer structure. The metal oxides-mediated copolymerization of ANI with MR led to the decrease in absorbance and fluorescence emission spectroscopy due to the degradation of MR structure. The copolymerization of dyes with ANI was confirmed by GPC. The solubility test declared that the prepared copolymers are freely soluble in water. The CuO nanoparticle-mediated random copolymer showed an increase in electrical conductivity value. A plausible reaction mechanism was proposed in order to explain the experimental results obtained.

The poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) was synthesized by ring-opening polymerization at 160 °C under nitrogen atmosphere for 2 h by bulk polymerization method in the presence of barium thioglycolate (Ba-TG) as an initiator and stannous octoate as a catalyst. The monomer-to-initiator ratio was maintained at 400. The Ba-TG end-capped PCL was characterized by various analytical tools like FTIR spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, AFM, DSC, TGA, POM and HRTEM. The non-isothermal crystallization kinetic study was executed with the help of DSC in order to determine the rate at which nucleation formation and spherulitic growth take place. The thermal degradation kinetic studies were performed with the help of TGA to know the degradation rate as well as energy of activation (Ea) using different non-isothermal kinetic models. The main aim of the present investigation is to determine the role of chain end-capping agent (Ba-TG) on the crystallization and degradation process of PCL. It was found that the Ba-TG induced the 3D spherulitic crystal growth of PCL.

The poly(epichlorohydrin) (PECH) was synthesized and structurally modified in the presence of furosemide (Fur) under nitrogen atmosphere at 50 °C for 4 h and characterized by various analytical techniques like FTIR, UV–Visible, 1H-NMR, fluorescence emission, SEM, DSC, TGA and GPC. The Fur grafted PECH was subjected to drug release study at three different pHs from which the drug release model and mechanism were determined. The structurally modified PECH exhibited the SO2 stretching at 1121 cm−1. The 1H-NMR spectrum confirmed the chemical grafting of Fur onto PECH backbone. After the chemical grafting reaction, the Mw of PECH was increased to 73,216 g/mol. The drug release under acid pH followed the super case transportation mechanism.

Cu and Al nanoparticles were prepared using a simple chemical etching method followed by a chemical reduction method. The synthesized metal nanoparticles were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, UV–visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), electron-dispersive (EDX) spectrum and water contact angle (WCA) measurements. The application of Cu and Al nanoparticles was tested towards the catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol (NiP), hexavalent chromium {Cr(VI)} and rhodamine 6G (R6G) dye in the presence sodiumborohydride (NaBH4) as a reducing agent. From the UV–visible spectrum, the reduction rate constant (k app) and the induction time (T i) were determined and compared critically. The HRTEM analysis confirmed the nanosize of Cu and Al prepared by a simple chemical etching process followed by the chemical reduction method.

The poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) based Schiff base was prepared at 80 °C under oxygen atmosphere, further the poly(Schiff base) was characterized by various analytical methods like FTIR spectroscopy, UV–visible spectroscopy, GPC. The thermal stability of the Schiff base was determined by DSC and TGA. The hydrophilic nature of samples was determined by water contact angle measurement. The surface morphology was followed by SEM. The application of the PEG-Schiff base was extended to catalytic reduction of the nitro phenol and hexavalent Cr mixture. The highly toxic hexavalent Cr was reduced to trivalent Cr, similarly the nitro phenol was reduced to aminophenol. The rate constants were determined and compared with the literature value. Suitable reaction scheme was proposed.

The fluorescent conducting copolymer/nanocomposite was prepared under different experimental conditions with variations in [thymolblue] (TB) and weight of metal oxide at 0–5 °C under nitrogen atmosphere for 2 h at constant aniline (ANI) concentration. The above synthesized copolymer nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, UV–vis spectroscopy, fluorescence emission spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and conductivity measurements. Due to the surface catalytic effect of metal oxide, the copolymer followed the 0.20 order of reaction. Further, the solar cell study was carried out to find out the conversion efficiency of the fluorescent copolymer nanocomposite system. Reduction of nitrophenol (NiP) into aminophenol was carried out in the presence of fluorescent copolymer/nanocomposite as a catalyst. The results were critically analyzed and compared with the literature values.

A green-colored Ni-complexed aminoclay (AC) was synthesized and its size and crystalline nature were confirmed by HRTEM images and XRD, respectively. The AC–Ni system was used as a catalyst towards the reduction of environmental pollutants like Cr(VI), fluorescein (Fluor) and nitrophenol (NiP) individually and also their mixture. The catalytic reduction of Cr(VI) was elaborately studied under different experimental conditions. The thermodynamic parameters were determined. The AC–Ni system exhibited lower energy of activation (E a) value. The apparent rate constant of individual components and their mixture was determined, analyzed and compared with the literature reports. The pollutants present in the mixture exhibited the lower k app value due to the complex formation.

A novel Ni complexed aminoclay (AC) catalyst was prepared by complexation method followed by reduction reaction. Various analytical techniques such as FTIR spectroscopy, UV–visible spectroscopy, DSC, TGA, SEM, HRTEM, EDX, XPS and WCA measurement are used to characterize the synthesized material. The AC–Ni catalyst system exhibited improved thermal stability and fiber-like morphology. The XPS results declared the formation of Ni nanoparticles. Thus, synthesized catalyst was tested towards the Schiff base formation reaction between various bio-medical polymers and aniline under air atmosphere at 85 °C for 24 h. The catalytic activity of the catalyst was studied by varying the % weight loading of the AC–Ni system towards the Schiff base formation. The Schiff base formation was quantitatively calculated by the 1H-NMR spectroscopy. While increasing the % weight loading of the AC–Ni catalyst, the % yield of Schiff base was also increased. The k app and Ti values were determined for the reduction of indole and α-terpineol in the presence of AC–Ni catalyst system. The experimental results were compared with the literature report.

A fluorescent diblock copolymer nanocomposite (DBCNC) was synthesized by ring opening polymerization (ROP) method using rhodamine 6G (R6G) dye as an initiator through bulk polymerization technique. ROP of caprolactone was carried out at $$160^{\circ } \hbox {C}$$ for 2 h under nitrogen atmosphere in the presence of stannous octoate (Sn(Oct) $$_{2}$$ ) as a catalyst followed by the ROP of tetrahydrofuran in the presence of phthalicanhydride as a co-monomer. Thus, synthesized fluorescent DBCNC was characterized by various analytical tools such as FTIR spectroscopy, UV–visible spectroscopy fluorescence emission spectroscopy, DSC, TGA and FESEM. The catalytic reduction of p-nitrophenol (NiP), Cr(VI) and R6G was carried out in the presence of DBCNC as a catalyst with the help of UV–visible spectrophotometer. The apparent rate constant ( $$k_{\mathrm{app}}$$ ) and induction time ( $$T_{\mathrm{i}}$$ ) were determined from the UV–visible spectral data. The nanosized $$\hbox {V}_{2} \hbox {O}_{5}$$ was prepared by a simple chemical reduction of bulk-sized $$\hbox {V}_{2}\hbox {O}_{5}$$ by using sodium borohydride ( $$\hbox {NaBH}_{4}$$ ) as a reducing agent. During the DBC formation, 0.01 g of nanosized $$\hbox {V}_{2}\hbox {O}_{5}$$ was added. This type of polymer supports the catalyst which is very much useful in the catalysis industry because of its easy separation and recyclable property.

This article presents the synthesis of a series of polystyrene (PS)/organoclay nanocomposite films consisting of different contents of clay (1–7 wt%) by sonication-coupled solvent-blending technique. The prepared PS nanocomposite films were characterized using various techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The XRD and TEM results revealed the formation of exfoliated nanocomposites at lower loading of organoclay (

The preparation of the fluorescent diblock copolymer was carried out between poly(tetrahydrofuran) (PTHF) and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) via bulk and ring-opening polymerization (ROP) method by using two different dyes such as fluorescent methyl red (MR) and eosin b (EB) as lone chemical initiators at 160 °C under N2 atmosphere for two hours. All the prepared homopolymer and diblock copolymer were examined by NMR and FT-IR like analytical instruments. The molecular weight of the diblock copolymer was higher than the homopolymer. The TGA results showed that the thermal stability of PTHF in the diblock copolymer was lower when compared with dye end capped PCL. In this work, the ROP efficiency of two different dye-based initiators is compared and their results are critically analyzed. The –OH group-containing EB exhibited excellent results. The dye conjugated polymer was prepared by a single-step process.

Ring opening polymerization of e-caprolactone and tetrahydrofuran were carried out by bulk polymerization technique in the presence of a drug molecule as an initiator at 160 °C for 2 h under nitrogen atmosphere. The synthesized homo and diblock copolymer was characterized by various analytical techniques. Further, the sustainable drug release study was carried out at gastric pH of 7.2. The diblock copolymer formation was confirmed by the appearance of aromatic C=O stretching around 1680 cm−1. Due to the hydrophilic nature the diblock copolymer exhibited lower melting temperature. The drug release study confirmed the first order drug release model.

Congo red (CR) dye functionalized magnetic nanoparticle was synthesized and characterized by Fourier Transform Infra Red, UV–visible, fluorescence emission spectra, field emission scanning electron microscopy and vibrating sample magnetometry like analytical techniques. The prepared nanohybrid was chemically tagged with poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) via ring opening polymerization of e-caprolactone. The PCL/Fe3O4–CR nanocomposites were characterized by the same techniques and differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis methods. The magnetic moment values of the Fe3O4 after the formation of the nanohybrid and nanocomposite were found to be reduced due to the encapsulation and surface functionalization effects. The magnetic moment value of Fe3O4 was decreased for the nanohybrid and nanohyrbid tagged PCL. The non-isothermal degradation kinetics was characterized in order to find out the energy of activation (Ea) for the thermal degradation of the PCL. For the sake of comparison, the non-isothermal degradation kinetics of the methylorange functionalized Fe3O4 end capped PCL was carried out and the results were critically compared.

The Copper thioglycolate (Cu-TG) functionalized poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) was successfully prepared using the newly synthesized Cu-TG initiator by ring opening polymerization (ROP) technique. The structure of the prepared polymer was confirmed with the help of reliable analytical techniques like FTIR and NMR. The particle size and surface morphology of Cu-TG functionalized PCL were critically examined by AFM and HRTEM. The microstructure of the nucleated crystals in the PCL matrix was investigated using the polarized optical microscope (POM). The crystallization and thermal degradation behaviour of PCL under non-isothermal condition were analysed by DSC and TGA techniques. The thermal stability of Cu-TG functionalized PCL was increased while compared with pure PCL. Ozawa and Avrami exponents suggested the spherulitic growth of Cu-TG functionalized PCL. The crystallization rate and the energy of activation (Ea) under non-isothermal condition were determined using various kinetic models.

A Cu and Fe based bimetallic nanoparticle (BMNP) was prepared by chemical reduction method through the formation of CuO and Fe2O3 nanocomposites. The Cu-Fe BMNP was characterized by FT-IR, UV–visible, fluorescence emission spectra, XRD, XPS, HR-TEM, SEM, EDX and VSM like instruments. The FT-IR spectrum showed a metal-oxide stretching peak around 600 cm-1 associating with the Fe-O and Cu-O composites. The formation of metal oxides was confirmed by XRD. The Janus nanoparticle formation between Fe and Cu was confirmed by HR-TEM. The surface catalytic activity of Cu-Fe BMNP was tested towards the Schiff base (SB) formation between alcohol and amine in an air atmosphere. The amount of SB formation was determined by using the 1H NMR spectrum. Among the systems, the PVA based SB yielded 20% via ketone formation.