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Waste polyethylene (WPE) and virgin polyethylene (VPE) (50:50) thermoplastic have been melt-mixed with biochar (BC) made from orange peels at ratios of 5, 10, and 15(Phr) to evaluate how the filler content affected the mechanical, thermal, optical, electrical conductivity, and electromagnetic interference (EMI). γ-rays was applied to the prepared specimens to assess how radiation affected the created biocomposites. From the obtained results, the combination of BC with γ-rays, at doses of up to 100 kGy, with thermoplastic resulted in an enhanced mechanical property, particularly for composites containing 15 Phr of BC added because of its unique structure and excellent dispersion. Similarly, the addition of BC into thermoplastic composites raised both thermal as well as optical properties. The electrical conductivity of the studied composites has been carried out at room temperature in the frequency range of 50 Hz-5 MHz. The study shows that for practical applications, blended thermoplastic PE with BC at a ratio of 10 Phr and irradiated with a dosage of 100 kGy lead to enhanced conductivity (ac) and the real portion of dielectric constant (Σ/). Furthermore, the optical properties of the prepared bio-composited have been enhanced by the addition of BC. Additionally, as a shielding application in the X-band, Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) was investigated, and shown that efficient EMI shielding is achieved when BC loading into biocomposites recorded high EMI shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) for the higher filler loading 15 Phr of BC, which recorded 4.7 dB with a thickness sheet of 1 mm for biocomposites..

The shortcomings of traditional energy systems drive the transition toward sustainable energy sources. This study explores the production of hydrogen, an environmentally friendly energy source, through the photo-hydrolysis of sodium borohydride (NaBH 4 ), known for its non-toxic nature and high hydrogen storage capacity. The photoreaction is facilitated by visible light, utilizing nano-alumina or zirconia as catalysts. A novel approach is introduced, employing a cost-effective and eco-friendly oil as a template for nano-catalyst synthesis. The resulting catalyst is thoroughly characterized using techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), N 2 -adsorption-desorption, Fourier Transforms Infrared (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Photoluminescence (PL), and X-ray photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Experimental parameters including catalyst weight, NaBH 4 concentration, and irradiation time are systematically varied to optimize the photo-hydrolysis reaction efficiency. A hydrogen generation rate of 344 mL min -1 g -1 is achieved with zirconium oxide ZrO 2 , while Aluminum oxide Al 2 O 3 exhibits a higher rate of 370 mL min -1 g -1 .

This study aims to investigate the potential of integrating natural biochar (BC) derived from eggshell waste into flexible polyurethane (FPU) foam to enhance its mechanical and acoustic performance. The study explores the impact of incorporating BC at various weight ratios (0.1, 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7 wt. %) on the properties of the FPU foam. Additionally, the effects of modifying the BC with (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane (APTMS) at different ratios (10, 20, and 30 wt. %) and the influence of diverse particle sizes of BC on the thermal, mechanical, and acoustic characteristics of the FPU composite are investigated. The functional groups, morphology, and elemental composition of the developed FPU composites are analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) techniques. Characteristics such as density, gel fraction, and porosity were also assessed. The results reveal that the density of FPU foam increased by 4.32% and 7.83% while the porosity decreased to 50.22% and 47.05% with the addition of 0.1 wt. % of unmodified BC and modified BC with 20 wt. % APTMS, respectively, compared to unfilled FPU. Additionally, the gel fraction of the FPU matrix increases by 1.91% and 3.55% with the inclusion of 0.1 wt. % unmodified BC and modified BC with 20 wt. % APTMS, respectively. Furthermore, TGA analysis revealed that all FPU composites demonstrate improved thermal stability compared to unfilled FPU, reaching a peak value of 312.17°C for the FPU sample incorporating BC modified with 20 wt. % APTMS. Compression strength increased with 0.1 wt. % untreated BC but decreased at higher concentrations. Modifying BC with 20% APTMS resulted in an 8.23% increase in compressive strength compared to unfilled FPU. Acoustic analysis showed that the addition of BC improved absorption, and modified BC enhanced absorption characteristics of FPU, reaching Class D with a 20 mm thickness. BC modified with APTMS further improved acoustic properties compared to the unfilled FPU sample (Class E), with 20% modification showing the best results. These composites present promising materials for sound absorption applications and address environmental issues related to eggshell waste., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Uncontrolled or improperly managed wastewater is considered toxic and dangerous to plants, animals, and people, as well as negatively impacting the ecosystem. In this research, the use of we aimed to prepare polymer nanocomposites (guar gum/polyvinyl alcohol, and nano-montmorillonite clay) for eliminating heavy metals from water-based systems, especially Cu 2+ and Cd 2+ ions. The synthesis of nanocomposites was done by the green method with different ratios of guar gum to PVA (50/50), (60/40), and (80/20) wt%, in addition to glycerol that acts as a cross-linker. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis of the prepared (guar gum/PVA/MMT) polymeric nano-composites' structure and morphology revealed the presence of both guar gum and PVA's functional groups in the polymeric network matrix. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis was also performed, which verified the creation of a nanocomposite. Furthermore, theromgravimetric analysis (TGA) demonstrated the biocomposites' excellent thermal properties. For those metal ions, the extreme uptake was found at pH 6.0 in each instance. The Equilibrium uptake capacities of the three prepared nanocomposites were achieved within 240 min. The maximal capacities were found to be 95, 89 and 84 mg/g for Cu 2+ , and for Cd 2+ were found to be 100, 91, 87 mg/g for guar gum (80/20, 60/40 and 50/50), respectively. The pseudo-2 nd -order model with R 2 > 0.98 was demonstrated to be followed by the adsorption reaction, according to the presented results. In less than 4 hours, the adsorption equilibrium was reached. Furthermore, a 1% EDTA solution could be used to revitalize the metal-ion-loaded nanocomposites for several cycles. The most promising nanocomposite with efficiency above 90% for the removal of Cu 2+ and Cd 2+ ions from wastewater was found to have a guar (80/20) weight percentage, according to the results obtained., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Alhaithloul, Alsudays, Zaki, Elsaeed, Mubark, Salib, Safwat, Niedbała, Diab, Abdein, Alharthi, Zakai and Elkelish.)

Recently, the scientific community's main goal is the long-term sustainability. Vegetable oils are easily accessible, non-depletable, and cost-effective materials. Vegetable oils are used to prepare polymeric alkyd surfaces. Novel and exciting designs of alkyd/graphene nanocomposites have provided eco-friendly thermal stability and protective coating surfaces. This review has briefly described important graphene-based alkyd nanocomposites along with their applications as protective coatings. These alkyd composites have high hydrophobicity, corrosion resistance, and durability. Graphene-based alkyd nanocoatings have many industrial and research interests because of their exceptional thermal and chemical properties. This work introduces an advanced horizon for developing protective nanocomposite coatings. The anti-corrosion properties and coatings' longevity may be improved by combining the synergistic effects of hybrid nanofillers introduced in this work., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

A novel series of polymeric ionic liquids (ILs) based on benzimidazolium chloride derivatives, namely, 1,3-diheptyl-2-(2-phenyl-propyl)-3 H -benzimidazol-1-ium chloride (IL1), 1,3-dioctyl-2-(2-phenyl-propyl)-3 H -benzimidazol-1-ium chloride (IL2), and 1,3-Bis-decyl-2-(2-phenyl-propyl)-3 H -benzoimidazol-1-ium chloride (IL3), were synthesized and chemically elucidated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, and elemental analysis. Their influence as corrosion suppressors were investigated for C-steel corrosion in 1 M HCl, by weight loss (WL), potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) methods, revealing that their exclusive addition decreased corrosion with mounting concentrations. These assays demonstrated that novel ILs are efficient inhibitors at relatively low dosages. The efficacy of the synthesized ILs reached 79.7, 92.2 and 96.9%, respectively, at 250 ppm and 303 K. Parameters for activation and adsorption were calculated and are discussed. The Tafel polarization results demonstrated that the investigated ILs support the suppression of both cathodic and anodic reactions, acting as mixed type inhibitors. Langmuir's adsorption isotherm was confirmed as the best fitted isotherm, describing the physical-chemical adsorption capability of used ILs on the C-steel surface with the change in the free energy of adsorption, Δ G ° ads = 32.6-37.2 kJ mol -1 . The efficacy of the synthesized ILs was improved by increasing the doses, and the temperature reached 86.6, 96.1, and 98.4%, respectively, at 318 K. Surface morphology was proved by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy (AFM), and then, changes in test solutions were checked by Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. Theoretical modeling (density functional theory and Monte Carlo) revealed the correlation between the IL's molecular chemical structure and its anticorrosive property., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

The hazards of polymer waste and emitted gas on the environment pose a global challenge. As a trial to control this, the current work aims to reuse the polymer waste mix (PM) as fillers in calcium silicate to prepare new composites of environmentally friendly polymer concrete. PM was first subjected to treatment to obtain treated PM (TPM) and then was filled in new dicalcium silicate cement with different concentrations. The microstructural characterizations declare the successful preparation of the dicalcium silicate base material. After the curing reaction, the precipitated carbonate main product is responsible for the gained properties. The CO 2 uptake% in the proposed composites reached 16.6%, referring to the successful storage of CO 2 gas during curing. The treatment reaction led to an increase in the flexural and compression strengths due to the strengthening of the polymer waste mix-cement interface; the strengths were increased gradually with more contents of TPM fillers. 7% TPM-cement concentration achieved the highest flexural strength and compression strength of10.2 and 12.7%, respectively, compared with blank cement. The used polymer improved slightly the pull-off force of the prepared cement, and 7 and 5% TPM-cement composites have the maximum values. All the proposed composites passed the impact testing without failure, where the combination between the polymer waste and silicate cement resulted in a stable composite surface. Compared with the blank, the different concentrations of TPM-cement composites show more stability against water absorption. In addition, the proposed composites and blank cement have a very low carbon dioxide emission. The ability to recycle the polymer waste, form new type of low-energy silicate, improve the mechanical and surface properties, uptake CO 2 gas, and reduce gas emission makes the proposed polymer waste mix-cement composites as environmentally friendly construction products., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Over time, oil consumption has increased along with a continuous demand for petroleum products that require finding ways to increase hydrocarbon production more economically and effectively. So, enhanced oil recovery technologies are believed to be very promising and will serve as a key to meeting the future energy demand. This paper aims to introduce an innovative method to boost the EOR by using two novel types of surfactants synthesized from sulfonamide derivatives. Types I and II surfactants were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and their characterization was further performed using 1 H NMR and 13 C NMR spectroscopy. Additionally, the evaluation of these surfactants included interfacial tension measurements at concentrations up to 0.9 wt %. The combination of types I and II surfactants with alkaline (NaOH) was also investigated by the measurements of interfacial tension. A series of coreflood and sandpack tests under high-salinity conditions were carried out to assess the effects of a surfactant alone and alkaline-surfactant as a combination on improving oil recovery. The rock wettability was evaluated using relative permeability saturation curves, and the oil displacement efficiency was determined using fractional flow curves. The coreflood results demonstrated that alkaline-surfactant flooding with the chemical formula 0.2 wt % surfactant type II plus 0.5 wt % NaOH achieved a higher oil recovery of 74% OOIP compared to surfactant flooding with the chemical formula 0.5 wt % surfactant type II (64% OOIP) and waterflooding (saline solution with a 35,000 ppm salinity: 48% OOIP). Moreover, the experimental results showed that under both core and sandpack flood conditions, there was a noticeable reduction in oil-water interfacial tension, a change in rock wettability to more water-wet, and higher efficiency of oil displacement when alkaline was added to the surfactant. Based on current research, the alkaline-surfactant formulation is strongly recommended for chemical flooding because of its high efficacy and relatively low cost., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Hydrogel membranes are prepared by casting a mixture of gellan gum (associated with PVA) and biochar produced from a local Egyptian plant. The mesoporous material is characterized by a specific surface area close to 134 m 2 g -1 , a residue of 28 % (at 800 °C), and a pH PZC close to 6.43. After grinding, the material is tested for Methylene Blue sorption at pH 10.5: sorption capacity reaches 1.70 mmol MB g -1 (synergistic effect of the precursors). The sorption isotherms are fitted by both Langmuir and Sips eqs. MB sorption increases with temperature: the sorption is endothermic (∆H°: 12.9 kJ mol -1 ), with positive entropy (∆S°: 125 J mol -1  K -1 ). Uptake kinetics are controlled by agitation speed (optimum ≈200 rpm) and resistance to intraparticle diffusion. The profiles are strongly affected by the mode of agitation: the equilibrium time (≈180 min) is reduced to 20-30 min under sonication (especially at frequency: 80 kHz). The mode of agitation controls the best fitting equation: pseudo-first order rate agitation for mechanical agitation contrary to pseudo-second order rate under sonication. The sorption of MB is poorly affected by ionic strength (loss <6 % in 45 g L -1 NaCl solution). Desorption (faster than sorption) is completely achieved using 0.7 M HCl solution. At the sixth recycling, the loss in sorption is close to 5 % (≈ decrease in desorption efficiency). The process is successfully applied for the treatment of MB-spiked industrial solution: the color index decreases by >97 % with a sorbent dose close to 1 g L -1 ; a higher dose is required for maximum reduction of the COD (60 % at 3 g L -1 )., 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 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this research, Orobanche aegyptiaca extract was utilized as an eco-friendly, and cost-effective green route for the construction of bimetallic silver-selenium nanoparticles (Ag-Se NPs). Bimetallic Ag-Se NPs were characterized by XRD, EDX, FTIR, HR-TEM, DLS, SEM/mapping and EDX studies. Antimicrobial, and antibiofilm potentials were tested against some selected pathogenic bacteria and unicellular fungi by ZOI, MIC, effect of UV exposure, and inhibition %. Reaction mechanism was assessed through membrane leakage assay and SEM imaging. HRTEM analysis confirmed the spherical nature and was ranged from 18.1 nm to 72.0 nm, and the avarage particle size is determined to be 30.58 nm. SEM imaging prove that bimetallic Ag-Se NPs presents as a bright particles, and both Ag and Se were distributed equally across O. aegyptiaca extract and Guar gum stabilizers. ZOI results showed that, bimetallic Ag-Se NPs have antimicrobial activity against S. aureus (20.0 nm), E. coli (18.5 nm), P. aeruginosa (12.6 nm), and C. albicans (18.2 nm). In addition, bimetallic Ag-Se NPs were able to inhibit the biofilm formation for S. aureus by 79.48%, for E. coli by 78.79%, for P. aeruginosa by 77.50%, and for C. albicans by 73.73%. Bimetallic Ag-Se NPs are an excellent disinfectant once it had excited by UV light. It was observed that the quantity of cellular protein discharged from S. aureus is directly proportional to the concentration of bimetallic Ag-Se NPs and found to be 244.21 μg/mL after the treatment with 1 mg/mL, which proves the antibacterial characteristics, and explains the creation of holes in the cell membrane of S. aureus producing in the oozing out of the proteins from the S. aureus cytoplasm. Based on the promising properties, they showed superior antimicrobial potential at low concentration (to avoid toxicity) and continued-phase durability, they may use in pharmaceutical and biomedical applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Climate change is being currently faced globally; controlling the plastic waste and gas emission is aimed to reduce their hazardous effects. In this work, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) polymer wastes are used as fillers to calcium silicate. Chemical treatment was performed to get the best efficiency of the binder material with the treated PET (TPET) and treated PVC (TPVC). The used silicate, new nonhydraulic dicalcium silicate, was synthesized by sintering. A new environmentally friendly polymer concrete, based on different concentrations of PET-/TPET-/PVC-/TPVC-dicalcium silicate composites, was prepared and cured by carbonation. FTIR analysis confirms that the treatment gave functional groups on the polymer surface; also, the hydrophilicity was increased after treatment. SEM photos show that the treated polymers have a rougher surface, which led to improved attachment with cement. The structures of the prepared and cured cement materials are proved by XRD, FTIR analysis, and SEM, through the change of calcium silicate to carbonate. Carbon footprint is used to analyze the environmental implications of the prepared composites. After the treatment reaction, the TPET-cement and TPVC-cement composites showed improved compression and flexural properties and more stability against water absorption. The novelty arises from recycling this plastic waste in the proposed low-energy dicalcium silicate cement, for the first time, to give improved environmentally friendly composites after converting CO 2 gas to carbonates, with the reduced carbon footprint., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Recently, scientist study the role of surfactants for carbon steel corrosion protection. In the present study, newly tetra-cationic surfactant (CS4: 1,N1'-(ethane-1,2-diyl) bis (N1, N2-didodecyl-N2-(2- (((E)-3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-benzylidene)amino)ethyl)ethane-1,2-diaminium) chloride) based on Schiff-base compound(5,5'-((1E,17E)-2,5,8,11,14,17-hexaazaoctadeca-1,17-diene-1,18-diyl)bis(2-methoxyphenol) was synthesised, purified and characterized using FTIR and 1 HNMR spectroscopy. The synthesized Tetra-cationic surfactant (CS4) was evaluated as anti-corrosion for carbon steel (CS-metal) in aggressive 1 M HCl using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization techniques (PDP). CS4 compound had a good surface-active property by reducing the surface tension as a result to the hydrophobic chains role. The prepared CS4 behaved as hybrid inhibitor (mixed-type) by blocking the anodic and cathodic sites. CS4 exhibited good inhibition efficiency reached 95.69%. The surface morphology of CS-metal was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)confirming the anti-corrosive effect of CS4 compound returned into the adsorption process of CS4 molecules over CS-metal which obeyed Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The inhibitive effect of CS4 was supported by theoretical quantum chemical studies using the density functional theory (DFT), Monte Carlo (MC) and Molecular Dynamic (MD) simulation., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Two cationic surfactants based on thiazine, dodecyl thiazin bromide (DTB) and hexyl thiazin bromide (HTB), were synthesized, characterized, and investigated as corrosion inhibitors for API X-65 type steel in oil wells' formation water under an H 2 S environment. Various spectroscopic techniques such as FTIR and 1 H NMR were used to confirm the DTB and HTB chemical structures. The corrosion inhibition efficiency of the selected compounds was investigated using both potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. The innovation of the current study is the existence of a long chain in the inhibitor molecule, which leads to an increase in the performance of the surfactant as a corrosion inhibitor, due to the increase in the surface area per molecule. It was found that these surfactants act as mixed-type inhibitors, leading to suppression of both the cathodic and the anodic processes by its adsorption on the electrode surface according to the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Carbon steel's inhibitory mechanism was studied using an analogous circuit. The scanning electron microscope technique was used as a suitable analysis tool to show the nature of the layer designed on carbon steel. Quantum chemical calculations and Monte Carlo simulation techniques were used to support the obtained experimental results. Finally, a suitable mechanism for the inhibition process was proposed and discussed., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2022 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Water shortages have become a serious issue, so the importance of developing innovative cellulose-based superabsorbent polymer (SAP) was experimentally assessed as an environmentally friendly alternative to acrylate-based SAPs for the optimization of water consumption. The development of a biodegradable superabsorbent hydrogel composite based on a graft copolymer of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and mixtures of different comonomers such as an acrylamide- co -acrylic acid- co -2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (Am- co -AA- co -AMPS) CMC- g -TerPoly interpenetrating network was characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scan electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and swelling capacity in different aqueous media. The optimized CMC- g -(TerPoly) composite showing outstanding superabsorbance with high water retention, the ratio of constituents, temperature, and pH effect on equilibrium swelling have been optimized by using multistage response surface methodology (RSM). In distilled water (d-water), the equilibrium water absorption capacity (EW) of the synthesized composite hydrogels (SAP-IPN1) is 1200 g (d-water/1g hydrogel) which is superior to any other commercial polyacrylate SAP hydrogels, while in saline water the EW is 650 g (s-water/1g hydrogel). The performance of the SAP-IPN for water retention was evaluated by studying several swelling/deswelling cycle measurements. The prepared SAP-IPN hydrogels were found to show pH and salt solution dependence on the swelling behavior. The new SAP-IPN can work with commercial SAP, which is recommended for application as a water reservoir in arid land for irrigation for agriculture purposes., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2022 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)