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Cellulase (mainly endoglucanase, EG) has been used in pulp modification for improving paper quality through environmentally friendly process. But low activity in alkaline pH and high filter paper activity (FPA) were still obstacles for extending the cellulase application in papermaking industry. In the study, an alkali-tolerant EG gene of Bacillus subtilis Y106 was homologous over-expressed for obtaining suitable enzyme used in pulp modification. The engineering strain could produce the crude enzyme with more alkali-tolerant EG and little PFA. Potential of the crude enzyme in modification of different pulps were investigated. It was found that the enzyme could be used for improving drainage and strength properties of pulps from softwood, hardwood and non-wood materials, especially non-wood pulp such as wheat straw pulp. The underlying mechanisms of pulp modification and different effects on various types of pulps by the EG treatment were also discussed by studying the change in fibers characteristics and fiber bonding.

Newly developed active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) often experience low solubility in aqueous media and thus possess poor oral bioavailability. The SmartFilm®-technology is a novel approach to overcome poor solubility. The technique uses commercial paper in which API can be loaded in amorphous state, thus increasing dissolution rate dc/dt and solubility cs when compared to bulk material. However, the preservation of the amorphous state is a prerequisite for an efficient use of the smartFilm-technology and thus the crystalline state needs to be inspected during storage. Preferably, this should be done non-destructively. Traditional techniques, such as x-ray diffraction (XRD) or differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), do not allow for non-destructive crystallinity investigations, whereas Terahertz (THz) spectroscopy is a non-destructive technique, that is sensitive to the crystalline state of many molecular crystals. Therefore, the potential of THz-spectroscopy for crystallinity state inspection of API in smartFilms and tablets made from smartFilms was investigated in this study. The THz results obtained were compared to results obtained from XRD and DSC measurements. Whereas DSC measurements failed to reliably detect crystalline API in the smartFilms, XRD and THz-spectroscopy showed similar results and revealed that it was possible to prepare smartFilms loaded with >23% (w/w) amorphous API. Results indicate the great potential of THz spectroscopy for the non-destructive determination of the crystalline state of APIs in smartFilms and/or tablets made from paper.

Hemozoin, the heme detoxification end product in malaria parasites during their growth in the red blood cells (RBCs), serves as an important marker for diagnosis and treatment target of malaria disease. However, the current method for hemozoin-targeted drug screening mainly relies on in-vitro β-hematin inhibition assays, which may lead to false-positive events due to under-representation of the real hemozoin crystal. Quantitative in-situ imaging of hemozoin is highly desired for high-throughput screening of antimalarial drugs and for elucidating the mechanisms of antimalarial drugs. We present transient absorption (TA) imaging as a high-speed single-cell analysis platform with chemical selectivity to hemozoin. We first demonstrated that TA microscopy is able to identify β-hematin, the artificial form of hemozoin, from the RBCs. We further utilized time-resolved TA imaging to in situ discern hemozoin from malaria-infected RBCs with optimized imaging conditions. Finally, we quantitatively analyzed the hemozoin amount in RBCs at different infection stages by single-shot TA imaging. These results highlight the potential of TA imaging for efficient antimalarial drug screening and drug mechanism investigation.

This article presents a novel method for integrating native corn starch and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) into a hybrid pigment, which can be applied in papermaking to increase the amount of starch in paper and improve sheet bonding without impairing dewatering. Starch was first thermally treated to partially gelatinize and swell the granules. The aim of the treatment was to change the surface properties of starch and thus to improve the interaction with CaCO3 particles. CaCO3 shell was precipitated around the swollen granules and the encapsulated starch was then cooked to achieve complete gelatinization. When the granules were cooked, the starch became active for bonding, but its solubility was very limited due to the encapsulation. Particle size measurement and scanning electron microscopy were used to analyze the sample properties during the preparation. The hybrid pigment was added to paper sheets and its effect on the paper properties was examined. Starch was shown to be effectively bound to the pigment structure. The hybrid pigment allowed a large amount of native corn starch to be added to paper without interfering with the papermaking process. Furthermore, it gave excellent mechanical paper properties.

Fabricating transparent paper from cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) normally involves high energy or the use of expensive chemicals for the extraction of CNFs from cellulose fibers and time-consuming paper formation processes because of the slow filtration rate of CNFs. In this study, we reported a strategy for the fabrication of transparent paper using microfibrillated cellulose fibers (MFCFs), which were prepared by extracting nanosized fibrils from the cellulose fiber surfaces by a two-step refining process. The paper made from MFCFs has hierarchical structures of microsized fiber/nanosized fibril networks, where the microsized fiber skeletons are buried in the nanosized fibril networks. Consequently, the paper shows a light transmittance of 82.4% at 550 nm; this is comparable to the light transmittance (89.1%) of papers made from CNFs. Meanwhile, the filtration time of the paper made from MFCFs is less than 2 min, which is much shorter than the time (longer than 180 min) required for the formation of nanopaper made from commercial CNFs. In addition, the transparent paper made from MFCFs shows higher thermal stability, higher tensile strength, higher resistance to deformation, and more flexibility than the nanopaper made from commercial CNFs. This work provides a promising method for the manufacture of transparent paper from cellulose fibers.

X-ray crystallography is the main tool for structural determination of proteins. Yet, the underlying crystallization process is costly, has a high attrition rate and involves a series of trial-and-error attempts to obtain diffraction-quality crystals. The Structural Genomics Consortium aims to systematically solve representative structures of major protein-fold classes using primarily high-throughput X-ray crystallography. The attrition rate of these efforts can be improved by selection of proteins that are potentially easier to be crystallized. In this context, bioinformatics approaches have been developed to predict crystallization propensities based on protein sequences. These approaches are used to facilitate prioritization of the most promising target proteins, search for alternative structural orthologues of the target proteins and suggest designs of constructs capable of potentially enhancing the likelihood of successful crystallization. We reviewed and compared nine predictors of protein crystallization propensity. Moreover, we demonstrated that integrating selected outputs from multiple predictors as candidate input features to build the predictive model results in a significantly higher predictive performance when compared to using these predictors individually. Furthermore, we also introduced a new and accurate predictor of protein crystallization propensity, Crysf, which uses functional features extracted from UniProt as inputs. This comprehensive review will assist structural biologists in selecting the most appropriate predictor, and is also beneficial for bioinformaticians to develop a new generation of predictive algorithms.

In this work, corn stover was refined by a pulp refining instrument (PFI refiner) after NaOH pretreatment under varied conditions. The quantitative characterization of the influence of PFI refining on enzymatic hydrolysis was studied, and it was proved that the enhancement of enzymatic saccharification by PFI refining of the pretreated corn stover was largely due to the significant increment of porosity of substrates and the reduction of cellulose crystallinity. Furthermore, a linear relationship between beating degree and final total sugar yields was found, and a simple way to predict the final total sugar yields by easily testing the beating degree of PFI refined corn stover was established. Therefore, this paper provided the possibility and feasibility for easily monitoring the fermentable sugar production by the simple test of beating degree, and this will be of significant importance for the monitoring and controlling of industrial production in the future.

As an electronic alternative for printed media, the E-paper has ultralow power consumption, reduced eyestrain, high contrast ratio. Electrophoretic displays are one of the most promising E-paper technologies, which are now widely used in consumer products. The properties of the electrophoretic display are mainly determined by the composition, size, light scattering properties, and density of the electrophoretic nanoparticles. First, we introduce the preparation of white and black electrophoretic nanoparticles, because the monochrome E-paper has achieved commercial success. Then the structure and properties of color electrophoretic nanoparticles for color E-paper products are discussed. In addition, the enhanced and novel electrophoretic nanoparticles are now propelling the development of next-generation E-paper with new applications. Finally, the active area of the preparation of electrophoretic nanoparticles is highlighted in terms of the development of future E-paper.

Simultaneously ultrasonic wave and microwave assisted technique (SUMAT), as a method of process intensification, was first applied to the preparation of nanocellulose whiskers (NCWs) from filter paper by sulfuric acid hydrolysis. The effects of temperature, sulfuric acid concentration, and mass of raw material and time on the yield of NCWs were investigated by single-factor experiments, and the preparation conditions were optimized with response surface methodology. The obtained NCWs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and thermal gravimetry. The results showed NCWs were facilely prepared by using SUMAT. However, some harsh reaction conditions such as high temperature, strong acidity and long time treatment easily induced the reduction of the yield of NCWs. Under the optimal conditions, the yield and the crystallinity of NCWs with the crystal form of cellulose Iα is 85.75% and 80%, respectively.

High-performance graphene nanopapers are prepared from an aqueous solution of functional graphenes with benzenesulfonic acid groups via covalent bonds. The formed hydrophobic graphene nanopapers showed the highest tensile strength of 360 MPa and Young's modulus of 102 GPa for samples with 13.7 wt % functional group and annealed at 150 °C. These samples showed a high electrical conductivity of 4.45 × 10(4) S/m after being annealed at 250 °C. The aforementioned properties of graphene nanopapers are much higher than any previously reported data. The properties of nanopapers depend on the degree of functionality on graphenes and the annealing temperatures, which are further evidenced by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, FTIR, and X-ray diffraction patterns. Such unique nanopapers can be easily bounded and sandwiched onto any solid surface to give rise to great potentials in many applications such as gas diffusion barriers, EMI shielding, thermal management, and anticorrosion.

Graphene oxide (GO) in aqueous solution was aerosolized and rapidly dried to produce crumpled nanopaper-like sheets. Online size selection and aerosol mass analysis was used to determine the fractal dimension (D) of crumpled GO nanosheets as 2.54 ± 0.04. That is identical to macroscale materials, such as crumpled balls of paper and foil. Thermal reduction of crumpled GO nanosheets did not change D, even after loss of nearly 25% of the nanosheets mass. We demonstrate that D is able to be tuned by altering solvent conditions. A 10% acetone mixture increased D to 2.68 ± 0.02. Calculations of the confinement force show that crumpling of GO nanosheets is driven by the capillary force associated with rapid solvent loss.

The effects of 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HBT) and the natural laccase mediators gallic acid, caffeic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid, on the enzymatic bleaching of flax pulp were compared. The treatment was performed under atmospheric air and oxygen pressure, and, for the first time, monitored by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) for comparison with chemical analysis, FTIR and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopies. Thermogravimetric data were simulated by applying a nucleation kinetic equation to a combustion model based on four pseudo-components (hemicellulose, amorphous and crystalline cellulose, and lignin). The results thus obtained show that the effects of the natural mediators are similar to those of HBT and lead to increased order in cellulose microfibril surfaces. An increase in pulp crystallinity was additionally exposed by the XRD and FTIR techniques, and a reduction in microfibril equatorial size by the XRD patterns. Simulated DTG curves were used to determine the kinetic parameters for thermal degradation.

Material conversion from paper sludge ash (PSA) in NaOH solution was attempted to synthesize the adsorbent for removal of inorganic pollutants, such as Pb2+, NH4+ and PO4(3-) from aqueous solution. PSA of 0.5 g was added into 10 mL of 3 mol/L NaOH solution, and then heated at 80, 120, and 160 degrees C for 6-48 hr to obtain the product. PSA mainly composed of two crystalline phases, gehlenite (Ca2Al2SiO7) and anorthite (CaAl2Si2O8), and amorphous phase. Hydroxysodalite (Na6Al6Si6O24 8H2O) was formed at 80 degrees C, and anorthite dissolved, whereas gehlenite remained unaffected. Katoite (Ca3Al2SiO4(OH)8) was formed over 120 degrees C, and hydroxycancrinite (Na8(OH)2Al6Si6O24 2H2O) was formed at 160 degrees C, due to the dissolution of both gehlenite and anorthite. Specific surface areas of the products were almost same and were higher than that of raw ash. Cation exchange capacities (CECs) of the products were also higher than that of raw ash, and CEC obtained at lower temperature was higher. Removal abilities of products for Pb2+, NH4+, and PO4(3-) were higher than that of raw ash. With increasing reaction temperature, the removal efficiencies of Pb2+ and NH4+ decreased due to the decrease of CEC of the product, while removal efficiency for PO4(3-) was almost same. The concentrations of Si and Al in the solution and the crystalline phases in the solid during the reaction explain the formation of the product phases at each temperature.

Cold plasma treatment is used to modify the cellulosic fibers for a variety of applications. The grafting of softwood unbleached (UBP) and bleached (BP) kraft pulp fibers has been performed under the action of cold plasma discharges, using different kinds of fatty acids. The grafted samples are characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), termogravimetry (TG–DTG) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). All these methods confirm the morphological and structural changes after plasma treatment which determines the modification in cellulosic fiber properties. The active centers created within the cellulose chains by plasma treatment were used to initiate grafting reactions with fatty acids. Such modification is useful to enhance the fibers properties such as softness and to change hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance.

Sea urchin teeth grow continuously and develop a complex mineralized structure consisting of spatially separate but crystallographically aligned first stage calcitic elements of high Mg content (5–15 mol% mineral). These become cemented together by epitaxially oriented second stage very high Mg calcite (30–40 mol% mineral). In the tooth plumula, ingressing preodontoblasts create layered cellular syncytia. Mineral deposits develop within membrane-bound compartments between cellular syncytial layers. We seek to understand how this complex tooth architecture is developed, how individual crystalline calcitic elements become crystallographically aligned, and how their Mg composition is regulated. Synchrotron microbeam X-ray scattering was performed on live, freshly dissected teeth. We observed that the initial diffracting crystals lie within independent syncytial spaces in the plumula. These diffraction patterns match those of mature tooth calcite. Thus, the spatially separate crystallites grow with the same crystallographic orientation seen in the mature tooth. Mineral-related proteins from regions with differing Mg contents were isolated, sequenced, and characterized. A tooth cDNA library was constructed, and selected matrix-related proteins were cloned. Antibodies were prepared and used for immunolocaliztion. Matrix-related proteins are acidic, phosphorylated, and associated with the syncytial membranes. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy of various crystal elements shows unique amino acid, Mg, and Ca ion distributions. High and very high Mg calcites differ in Asp content. Matrix-related proteins are phosphorylated. Very high Mg calcite is associated with Asp-rich protein, and it is restricted to the second stage mineral. Thus, the composition at each part of the tooth is related to architecture and function.

5 páginas, 4 figuras, 1 tabla.-- et al., Nanostructured biological materials inspire the creation of materials with tunable mechanical properties. Strong cellulose nanofibrils derived from bacteria or wood, can form ductile or tough networks, that are suitable as functional materials. Here, we show that freeze-dried bacterial cellulose nanofibril aerogels can be used as templates for making lightweight porous magnetic aerogels, which can be compacted into a stiff magnetic nanopaper. The 20–70-nm-thick cellulose nanofibrils act as templates for the non-agglomerated growth of ferromagnetic cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (diameter, 40–120 nm). Unlike solvent-swollen gels and ferrogels our magnetic aerogel is dry, lightweight, porous (98%), flexible, and can be actuated by a small household magnet. Moreover, it can absorb water and release it upon compression. Owing to their flexibility, high porosity and surface area, these aerogels are expected to be useful in microfluidics devices and as electronic actuators., This work was supported by the Stiftelsen för Strategisk Forskning Center BIOMIME at KTH (Royal Institute of Technology), the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research, the Wallenberg Wood Science Center, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (Mikro/Nanovetenskap), the Swedish Defence Research Agency, the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MAT2007-66309-C02 and CSD2006-00012 Consolider-Ingenio 2010), the Catalan Direcció General de Recerca (2009-DGR-1292) and the Academy of Finland.

Wt% of aragonite, a CaCO(3) polymorph, increased with higher hydraulic activity ( degrees C) of limestone in precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) from the lime-soda process (Ca(OH)(2)-NaOH-Na(2)CO(3)). Only calcite, the most stable polymorph, was crystallized at hydraulic activity under 10 degrees C, whereas aragonite also started to crystallize over 10 degrees C. The crystallization of PCC is more dependent on the hydraulic activity of limestone than CaO content, a factor commonly used to classify limestone ores according to quality. The results could be effectively applied to the determination of polymorphs in synthetic PCC for eco-friendly paper manufacture.

Significant enhancement in mechanical stiffness (10-200%) and fracture strength (approximately 50%) of graphene oxide paper, a novel paperlike material made from individual graphene oxide sheets, can be achieved upon modification with a small amount (less than 1 wt %) of Mg(2+) and Ca(2+). These results can be readily rationalized in terms of the chemical interactions between the functional groups of the graphene oxide sheets and the divalent metals ions. While oxygen functional groups on the basal planes of the sheets and the carboxylate groups on the edges can both bond to Mg(2+) and Ca(2+), the main contribution to mechanical enhancement of the paper comes from the latter.

The objective of this study was to investigate the synthesis of zeolites from paper sludge ash, and to evaluate their applications for water purification to simultaneously remove NH4+ and PO43- in aqueous solution. Paper sludge ash had a low abundance of Si and a significant Ca content, due to the presence of calcite that was used as paper filler. Na2SiO3 was added to the NaOH solution to increase Si content in order to synthesize zeolites with high cation exchange capacity. The original ash without addition of Si yielded hydroxysodalite with a cation exchange capacity of ca. 50 cmol/kg. Addition of Si to the solution yielded Na-P1 (zeolite-P) with a higher cation exchange capacity (ca. 120 cmol/kg). The observed concentrations of Si and Al in the solution during the reaction explain crystallizations of these two phases. The product with Na-P1 could simultaneously remove NH4+ and PO43- from the solution between pH 4 and 9.

Fines concentration harms paper machine runability and output quality in recovered paper processing, hence, their extraction would be fundamentally beneficial. In this study, separated fines from an industrial recycled fiber pulp (RFP) were characterized and evaluated for their potential biogas yields with a focus on understanding the role of varying lignin and ash contents. Further, these results were compared with biogas yields from conventional chemical and mechanical pulps. Overall, methane yields of fines from mechanical pulps (21-28mL/gVS) and RFP (127mL/gVS) are relatively low compared to the high methane yields of 375mL/gVS from the chemical pulp fines. However, it was shown that the high ash content in RFP fines (up to 50%) did not negatively influence overall yield, rather, it was the presence of slowly biodegrading lignin-rich fiber fines.

Paper sludge ash was partially converted into zeolites by reaction with 3M NaOH solution at 90 degrees C for 24 h. The paper sludge ash had a low abundance of Si and significant Ca content, due to the presence of calcite that was used as a paper filler. Diatomite was added to the NaOH solution to increase its Si content in order to synthesize zeolites with high cation exchange capacity. Diatomite residue was filtered from solution before addition of ash. The original ash without addition of diatomite yielded hydroxysodalite with a cation exchange capacity ca. 50 cmol/kg. Addition of Si to the solution yielded Na-P1 (zeolite-P) with a higher cation exchange capacity (ca. 130 cmol/kg). The observed concentrations of Si and Al in the solution during the reaction explain the crystallization of these two phases. The reaction products were tested for their capacity for PO(4)(3-) removal from solution as a function of Ca(2+) content, suggesting the formation of an insoluble Ca-phosphate salt. The product with Na-P1 exhibits the ability to remove NH(4)(+) as well as PO(4)(3-) from solution in concentrations sufficient for application in water purification. Both NH(4)(+) and PO(4)(3-) removal showed little variation with pH between 5 and 9. Alternative processing methods of zeolite synthesis, including the addition of ash to an unfiltered Si-NaOH solution and addition of a dry ash/diatomite mixture to NaOH solution, were tested. The third process yielded materials with lower cation exchange capacity due to formation of hydroxysodalite. The second process results in a product with relatively high cation exchange capacity, and reduces the number of processing steps necessary for zeolite synthesis.

An enzymatic biobleaching sequence (L VA QPO) using a laccase from Trametes villosa in combination with violuric acid (VA) and then followed by a pressurized hydrogen peroxide treatment (PO) was developed and found to give high bleaching properties and meet dissolving pulp requirements: high brightness, low content of hemicellulose, satisfactory pulp reactivity, no significant cellulose degradation manifested by α-cellulose and HPLC, and brightness stability against moist heat ageing. The incorporation of a laccase–mediator system (LMS) to bleach sulphite pulps can be a good alternative to traditional bleaching processes since thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the laccase treatment prevented the adverse effect of hydrogen peroxide on fibre surface as observed during a conventional hydrogen peroxide bleaching treatment (PO). Although VA exhibited the best results in terms of bleaching properties, the performance of natural mediators, such as p -coumaric acid and syringaldehyde, was discussed in relation to changes in cellulose surface detected by TGA.

This study corresponds to a PhD thesis with financial of the Ministry of Research. The objectiveof this work is to elaborate a based-paper titanium/silica photocatalysis for on stream flue gasdepollution (volatile organic compounds) stemming from processes of printing. The volatileorganic compound used in this study is the Ethanol. Particles of hollow silica were synthesizedand used as a support for nano particles of titanium dioxide, which were elaborated by sol-gelmethod. A continuous reactor was designed and used to treat the polluted gaseous flow. Theethanol passes through the photocatalytic paper irradiated by a UV lamp. Several photocatalyticspapers were elaborated and characterized by several techniques (MEB, Spectroscopy Raman,DRX).A modeling of the reactor and the support (photocatalytic paper) was developed and proposed.This modeling integrates the Langmuir – Hinshelwood kinetic and the variation of the intensitywith position in layer’s paper using the Kublka-Munk model.; Les travaux présentés s’inscrivent dans le cadre d’une thèse financée par le ministère de la recherche. L’objectif du travail est d’élaborer un papier contenant un charge composite(TiO2/SiO2) photocatalytique permettant d’éliminer des composés volatils organiques issus des procédés d’imprimerie. Le composé organique volatil ciblé lors de ce travail de recherche est l’éthanol. Des particules de silice creuse ont été synthétisées et utilisées comme support pour desnano particules d’oxyde de titane élaborées par méthode sol-gel. Un réacteur continu a été conçuet utilisé pour traiter le flux gazeux pollué. Le gaz à traiter passe à travers le papierphotocatalytique irradié sous UV. Plusieurs supports ont été fabriqués et caractérisés parplusieurs techniques (MEB, Spectroscopie Raman, DRX). L’étude photocatalytique a permisd’optimiser la composition de ces supports. Une modélisation du réacteur et du support (papierphotocatalytique) a été développée et proposée. Cette modélisation intègre la cinétiquephotocatalytique (de type Langmuir–Hinshelwood), la diffusion de la lumière au sein du papiersuivant le modèle de Kublka-Munk et l’hydrodynamique du réacteur.

This study corresponds to a PhD thesis with financial of the Ministry of Research. The objectiveof this work is to elaborate a based-paper titanium/silica photocatalysis for on stream flue gasdepollution (volatile organic compounds) stemming from processes of printing. The volatileorganic compound used in this study is the Ethanol. Particles of hollow silica were synthesizedand used as a support for nano particles of titanium dioxide, which were elaborated by sol-gelmethod. A continuous reactor was designed and used to treat the polluted gaseous flow. Theethanol passes through the photocatalytic paper irradiated by a UV lamp. Several photocatalyticspapers were elaborated and characterized by several techniques (MEB, Spectroscopy Raman,DRX).A modeling of the reactor and the support (photocatalytic paper) was developed and proposed.This modeling integrates the Langmuir – Hinshelwood kinetic and the variation of the intensitywith position in layer’s paper using the Kublka-Munk model., Les travaux présentés s’inscrivent dans le cadre d’une thèse financée par le ministère de la recherche. L’objectif du travail est d’élaborer un papier contenant un charge composite(TiO2/SiO2) photocatalytique permettant d’éliminer des composés volatils organiques issus des procédés d’imprimerie. Le composé organique volatil ciblé lors de ce travail de recherche est l’éthanol. Des particules de silice creuse ont été synthétisées et utilisées comme support pour desnano particules d’oxyde de titane élaborées par méthode sol-gel. Un réacteur continu a été conçuet utilisé pour traiter le flux gazeux pollué. Le gaz à traiter passe à travers le papierphotocatalytique irradié sous UV. Plusieurs supports ont été fabriqués et caractérisés parplusieurs techniques (MEB, Spectroscopie Raman, DRX). L’étude photocatalytique a permisd’optimiser la composition de ces supports. Une modélisation du réacteur et du support (papierphotocatalytique) a été développée et proposée. Cette modélisation intègre la cinétiquephotocatalytique (de type Langmuir–Hinshelwood), la diffusion de la lumière au sein du papiersuivant le modèle de Kublka-Munk et l’hydrodynamique du réacteur.

In 1979, Miller and Patel showed that a solution containing two diacetylene monomers, 2,4-hexadiyne-1,6-bis(phenylurethane) (HDDPU) and 2,4-hexadiyne-1,6-bis(p-chlorophenylurethane) (HDDCPU) could be used to develop latent fingermarks on a non-porous surface. In the current work, the same mixture (HDDPU:HDDCPU = 10:1, in acetone solution) was used to develop fingermarks on a wide variety of surfaces, both non-porous and porous, including paper. An airbrush system was optimized for the application of the reagent solution. Once the solution evaporates on a surface, the monomers co-crystallize in different ways, depending upon a number of factors, including the surface residue. " Active" co-crystallization leads (with heat or radiation) to the formation of purple polymer, while " inactive" crystallization results in a non-polymerizable white deposit. Fingermark contrast was achieved as a result of active co-crystallization (giving purple polymer) in either the ridges or the furrows, depending upon the surface and other factors. A general observation (supported by spot tests with linseed oil, salt and amino acid solutions) was that on paper, oily materials are more likely to lead to the formation of the purple polymer, while the presence of water inhibits polymerization. However, these observations are not consistent across all other substrates. It is hypothesized that water disrupts hydrogen bonding between diacetylene molecules, and thus prevents the topochemical polymerization of the diacetylenes, which occurs in the solid state between favourably aligned monomers. An interesting observation was the development of fingermarks deposited on paper that had already been treated with the diacetylene reagent. © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Enamel matrix proteins, including the most abundant amelogenin and lesser amounts of enamelin, ameloblastin, and proteinases, play vital roles in controlling crystal nucleation and growth during enamel formation. The cooperative action between amelogenin and the 32-kDa enamelin is critical to regulating the growth morphology of octacalcium phosphate crystals. Using biophysical methods, we investigated the interaction between the 32-kDa enamelin and recombinant pig amelogenin 148 (rP148) at pH 6.5 in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Dynamic light scattering results showed a trend of increasing particle size in the mixture with the addition of enamelin to amelogenin. Upon addition of the 32-kDa enamelin, the shift and intensity decrease in the ellipticity minima of rP148 in the circular dichroism spectra of rP148 illustrated a direct interaction between the 2 proteins. In the fluorescence spectra, the maximum emission of rP148 was blue shifted from 335 to 333 nm in the presence of enamelin as a result of complexation of the 2 proteins. Our results demonstrate that the 32-kDa enamelin has a close association with amelogenin at pH 6.5 in PBS buffer. Our present study provides novel insights into the possible cooperation between enamelin and amelogenin in macromolecular coassembly and in controlling enamel mineral formation

High mechanical performances of macroscopic graphene oxide (GO) papers are attracting great interest owing to their merits of lightweight and multiple functionalities. However, the loading role of individual nanosheets and its effect on the mechanical properties of the macroscopic GO papers are not yet well understood. Herein, we effectively tailored the interlayer adhesions of the GO papers by introducing small molecules, that is, glutaraldehyde (GA) and water molecules, into the gallery regions. With the help of in situ Raman spectroscopy, we compared the varied load-reinforcing roles of nanosheets, and further predicted the Young's moduli of the GO papers. Systematic mechanical tests have proven that the enhancement of the tensile modulus and strength of the GA-treated GO paper arose from the improved load-bearing capability of the nanosheets. On the basis of Raman and macroscopic mechanical tests, the influences of interlayer adhesions on the fracture mechanisms of the strained GO papers were inferred.

One of the important but often overlooked considerations in the design of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates for trace detection is the efficiency of sample collection. Conventional designs based on rigid substrates such as silicon, alumina, and glass resist conformal contact with the surface under investigation, making the sample collection inefficient. We demonstrate a novel SERS substrate based on common filter paper adsorbed with gold nanorods, which allows conformal contact with real-world surfaces, thus dramatically enhancing the sample collection efficiency compared to conventional rigid substrates. We demonstrate the detection of trace amounts of analyte (140 pg spread over 4 cm2) by simply swabbing the surface under investigation with the novel SERS substrate. The hierarchical fibrous structure of paper serves as a 3D vasculature for easy uptake and transport of the analytes to the electromagnetic hot spots in the paper. Simple yet highly efficient and cost-effective SERS substrate demonstrated here brings SERS-based trace detection closer to real-world applications.

Composite nanocoating of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)‐poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT‐PSS) and aqueous dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNT‐PSS) on lignocellulose wood microfibers has been developed to make conductive microfibers and paper sheets. To construct the multilayers on wood microfibers, cationic poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) has been used in alternate deposition with anionic conductive PEDOT‐PSS and solubilized CNT‐PSS. Using a Keithley microprobe measurement system, current‐voltage measurements have been carried out on single composite microfibers after deposition of each layer to optimize the electrical properties of the coated microfibers. The conductivity of the resultant wood microfibers was in the range of 10 −2 ‐2 S cm −1 depending on the architecture of the coated layer. Further, the conductivity of the coated wood microfibers increased up to 20 S cm −1 by sandwiching multilayers of conductive co-polymer PEDOT‐PSS with CNT‐PSS through a polycation (PEI) interlayer. Moreover, paper hand sheets were manufactured from these coated wood microfibers with conductivity ranging from 1 to 20 S cm −1 . A paper composite structure consisting of conductive/dielectric/conductive layers that acts as a capacitor has also been fabricated and is reported. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)

Security inks have become of increasing importance. They are composed of invisible substances that provide printed images that are not able to be photocopied, and are readable only under special environments. Here we report a novel photoluminescent ink for rewritable media that dichroically emits phosphorescence due to a structural bistability of the self-assembled luminophor. Long-lasting images have been developed by using conventional thermal printers, which are readable only on exposure to ultraviolet light, and more importantly, are thermally erasable for rewriting. Although thermally rewritable printing media have already been developed using visible dyes and cholesteric liquid crystals, security inks that allow rewriting of invisible printed images are unprecedented. We realized this unique feature by the control of kinetic and thermodynamic processes that compete with one another in the self-assembly of the luminophor. This strategy can provide an important step towards the next-generation security technology for information handling.

The family 9 cellulase gene celI of Clostridium thermocellum , was previously cloned, expressed, and characterized (G. P. Hazlewood, K. Davidson, J. I. Laurie, N. S. Huskisson, and H. J. Gilbert, J. Gen. Microbiol. 139:307-316, 1993). We have recloned and sequenced the entire celI gene and found that the published sequence contained a 53-bp deletion that generated a frameshift mutation, resulting in a truncated and modified C-terminal segment of the protein. The enzymatic properties of the wild-type protein were characterized and found to conform to those of other family 9 glycoside hydrolases with a so-called theme B architecture, where the catalytic module is fused to a family 3c carbohydrate-binding module (CBM3c); CelI also contains a C-terminal CBM3b. The intact recombinant CelI exhibited high levels of activity on all cellulosic substrates tested, with pH and temperature optima of 5.5 and 70°C, respectively, using carboxymethylcellulose as a substrate. Native CelI was capable of solubilizing filter paper, and the distribution of reducing sugar between the soluble and insoluble fractions suggests that the enzyme acts as a processive cellulase. A truncated form of the enzyme, lacking the C terminal CBM3b, failed to bind to crystalline cellulose and displayed reduced activity toward insoluble substrates. A truncated form of the enzyme, in which both the cellulose-binding CBM3b and the fused CBM3c were removed, failed to exhibit significant levels of activity on any of the substrates examined. This study underscores the general nature of this type of enzymatic theme, whereby the fused CBM3c plays a critical accessory role for the family 9 catalytic domain and changes its character to facilitate processive cleavage of recalcitrant cellulose substrates.