A new chitosan/sponge chitin – based membrane (CS/CH membrane) was prepared via the casting method for the first time. We used the demineralized skeleton of the marine demosponge Ianthella basta as a source for a chitinous network. The obtained membrane was immersed in 1 M LiOAc (lithium acetate) solution and tested in an Electric Double Layer Capacitor (EDLC) cell. For comparison, chitosan (CS) with LiOAc solution was also tested. The studies performed indicated good properties of the CS/CH membrane. Very good mechanical stability (for use in electrochemical capacitors) and electrochemical properties of the CS membrane were achieved by the addition of chitin isolated from the sponge to the polymer matrix. Their electrochemical performances were tested in EDLC cells by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and galvanostatic charge/discharge. The specific capacitances of the tested capacitor cells were found to be approximately 97 F g⁻¹ and 88 F g⁻¹ with CS/CH and CS membranes (in the voltage range 0–0.8 V), respectively.

Experimental results on the physical and chemical properties of silica aerogel and its composites with carbon microfibers are reported. The aerogels and silica aerogel/carbon microfibers nanocomposites were prepared via the sol–gel process of organosilicon compound followed by successive washing and drying in different conditions. Part of nanomaterials was surface modified in TMCS/n-hexane mixture in 50 °C and dried in ambient pressure. Simultaneously, the supercritical drying of aerogels and its nanocomposites in CO₂ atmosphere was carried out. The carbon microfibers before usage in silica aerogel composites were chemically treated in nitric acid. The physical properties of silica aerogels were studied by measuring the bulk density, volume shrinkage, porosity, pore volume and thermal conductivity. In the case of pure aerogels dried via supercritical conditions, the structure presented much less contraction during drying and was more resistant to higher temperature. However, the properties of silica aerogels composites with carbon microfibers drying in ambient pressure were better than corresponding composites subjected to supercritical drying. It was shown that simultaneous oxidation of carbon fibres and chemical modification of silica aerogel in TMCS/n-hexane mixture contributed to the stable mesoporous structure of composite with very good physical properties, especially lower shrinkage.

The adhesive properties of ternary composites based on middle density polyethylene (PE-MD) and isotactic polypropylene (i-PP) with high content (48–64 wt %) of inorganic fillers were studied. As fillers two kinds of calcium carbonate were used. Two fillers differed in their fineness degree and one of them had also stearic acid modified surface. It was stated that the kind and amount of filler affect mean value and scatter of surface free energy (γS) as well as its polar and dispersive components. More stable adhesive properties were observed for composites with stearic acid modified filler.

This paper presents the impact of accelerated aging on selected mechanical and thermal properties of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) composites filled with sedimentary hybrid natural filler-Opoka rock. The filler was used in two forms: an industrial raw material originating as a subsieve fraction natural material, and a rock calcinated at 1000 °C for production of phosphorous sorbents. Fillers were incorporated with constant amount of 5 wt % of the resulting composite, and the material was subjected to accelerated weathering tests with different exposition times. The neat polypropylene and composites with calcium carbonate as a reference filler material were used for comparison. The aim of the research was to determine the possibility of using the Opoka rock as a new hybrid filler for polypropylene, which could be an alternative to the widely used calcium carbonate and silica. The thermal, mechanical, and structural properties were evaluated by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), tensile tests, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance (FTIR/ATR) prior to and after accelerated aging. As a result, it was found that the composites of polypropylene with Opoka were characterized by similar or higher functional properties and higher resistance to photodegradation compared to composites with conventional calcium carbonate. The results of measurements of mechanical properties, structural and surface changes, and the carbonyl index as a function of accelerated aging proved that Opoka was an effective ultraviolet (UV) stabilizer, significantly exceeding the reference calcium carbonate in this respect. The new hybrid filler of natural origin in the form of Opoka can therefore be used not only as a typical powder filler, but above all as a UV blocker/stabilizer, thus extending the life of polypropylene composites, especially for outdoor applications.