Novel magnetic zeolite type 5A nanocomposites were synthesized by the co-precipitation method and applied to lead removal from aqueous ambient. Maghemite nanoparticles were mixed with zeolite and, by controlling its content, transmission electron microscopy results gave sizes of 5 to 15 nm and selected area electron diffraction patterns confirmed the presence of zeolite. The nanocomposites have high specific surface area with values up to 194 m²/g. Magnetization measurements proved superparamagnetic behavior with saturation values of ~35 emu/gFe. Kinetic adsorption experiments showed removal efficiencies of 99.9% and an enhanced equilibrium time of 5 min. The lead concentrations after adsorption experiments lay under the permissible levels of 10 μg L⁻¹, according to the World Health Organization. The maximum adsorption capacity, estimated by Sips model, was 265 mg L⁻¹ at 300 K. The removal efficiency was significantly improved in the range of pH > 6, as well as in the presence of cation interferents such as Ca(II), Cu(II), and Cd(II). The adsorption mechanism was explained with cation exchange between Pb(II), the zeolite framework, and the protonated maghemite surface. Besides, our system revealed recyclability even after seven regeneration cycles. Thus, our synthesized materials have remarkable adsorption properties for lead water remediation processes.

In the present work, the depolymerization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was performed by the method of glycolysis with ethylene glycol. The process was carried out using a factorial design in the Box-Behnken optimization model, using a response surface methodology (RSM) in which three factors (time, temperature and mass ratio of ethylene glycol) were studied in three levels of variation (- 1, 0, +1) with two replicates of the center point, totalizing 15 experiments for which the yield of bis (2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET) monomers formed in the process was chosen as response. In parallel, the Arrhenius kinetic test was used to determine the apparent activation energy (Ea) for the 1-butyl-3-methylimidazole trichlorozincate ([Bmin]ZnCl₃) - catalyst used in the depolymerization process. The products of glycolysis obtained were characterized by spectroscopic techniques (FTIR), (¹ H and ¹³C NMR), thermal analyses (TGA) and (DSC) and Mass Spectrometry LC-MS/MS hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap.

Resumo Foram investigadas as propriedades térmicas e mecânicas de compósitos de polipropileno reciclado e virgem, reforçados com até 40% em peso de fibras de celulose (FC), bem como a morfologia da matriz polimérica. Para a obtenção dos dados, foram utilizadas as técnicas de Análise Témica Dinâmico-Mecânica (DMTA), Calorimetria Exploratória Diferencial (DSC) e Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura (MEV). Os resultados mostraram que os compósitos de polipropileno reciclado,com percentagem de 30% FC e os compósitos de polipropileno virgem, com percentagem de 20% FC, tiveram um aumento significativo nos valores de módulo de armazenamento (E') e grau de cristalinidade (χc), indicando com isso uma resistência mecânica mais elevada. Já nas amostras com 40% FC, houve uma diminuição na rigidez do material. Estes resultados foram confirmados por MEV, onde observou-se a aglomeração das fibras de celulose na matriz. Não houve alteração nas temperaturas de transição vítrea (Tg) e fusão cristalina (Tm) dos compósitos produzidos.

This work consists of preparation of the Chitosan(CHI)/Collagen(COL) blends loaded with silver nanoparticles by method of evaporation of the solvent. This blends were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results obtained demonstrated that the mass ratio of CHI/COL was important for the maintenance of the collagen structure since in the ratio 3:1 (m/m of CHI/COL) decrease in the ratio between the peaks of 1235 cm-1 and 1450 cm-1, respectively. Moreover the silver nanoparticles added to the polymer matrix of the obtained chitosan had an average size of 25 nm confirmed by TEM for silver nanoparticle.