Microalgae cultivation is booming in agriculture, aquaculture, and bioenergy sectors. A wide range of bioactive compounds with attractive properties can be produced with microalgae, including pigments, vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids. The biofuel yields from microalgae can exceed the yields obtained with energy crops by 10–100 times. Therefore, such cultivation is promising for the regulation of the biosynthesis of microalagae with phytohormones, which can enhance the production of high-valued bioproducts. This review reports the effect of auxins, abscisic acid, cytokinins, gibberellins, and ethylene on microalgal growth and metabolites, as well as the crosstalk of different phytohormones. The use of phytohormones is also promising because it can also reduce the inputs necessary to grow the selected microalgae and maximize the yields.

This study presents a one-step encapsulation method for synthesizing X-shaped zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIF-8) and immobilizing Rhizomucor miehei lipase (RML). We proved that the morphological structure of ZIF-8 had changed after immobilization with enhanced characterization using a field-emission scanning electron microscope, an energy-dispersive spectrometer, a transmission electron microscope, a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, and powder X-ray diffraction. The surface area and pore size of the carrier were investigated before and after immobilization using Brunauer–Emmett–Teller and Barrett–Joyner–Halenda methods, respectively. RML@ZIF-8 exhibited high recovery activity of up to 2632%, representing a 26-fold increase in its free lipase. Encapsulated RML was used for biodiesel production from soybean oil in an isooctane system with a conversion yield of 95.6% under optimum conditions. The resulting reusability of the immobilized enzyme indicated no substantial decline in the conversion yield, which remained at 84.7% of the initial activity after 10 cycles. The stability and high performance of the immobilized enzyme are attributed to the harmony between RML and ZIF-8 based on the easy synthesis of ZIF-8 and the short time required to immobilize RML.

A novel synthesis method for multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) modified bio-based hybrid non-isocyanate polyurethane (HNIPU) is proposed in this paper. Modification methods for several properties of MWCNTs–HNIPU were systematically studied. MWCNTs were grafted with carboxyl and amino groups using a condensation reflux device. Au nanoparticles were synthesized on the surface of the MWCNTs via a reduction reaction and Fe₃O₄ particles were decorated on the MWCNTs using a hydrothermal method. FTIR, TEM, XRD, XPS and Raman techniques were employed to confirm the compositions and structures. Then, five different types of MWCNT were utilized for blending with non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) via solution methods. After curing with epoxy resin E-51, the cross-linked composites were applied as coatings. A series of tests demonstrated that HNIPU composited with MWCNTs–COOH–Au had the highest T_g value, the best thermal, thermodynamic and mechanical properties, and excellent pencil hardness, adhesion, flexibility and impact strength, while HNIPU composited with MWCNTs–COOH–NH₂ had the best water absorption and swelling properties. These results showed that the properties of hybrid non-isocyanate polyurethane can be adjusted via different MWCNT surface modification approaches or the addition of nanoparticles, so this kind of polyurethane has a vast development space for coating applications.

A new hybrid nanoflower was synthesized using the organic component of Burkholderia cepacia lipase and inorganic component of calcium phosphate. Under the optimum conditions, the nanobiocatalyst exhibited an activity of 849.8 U, 308% folds of the free one, with relatively good stability, highlighting its potential for industrialization.