Comparative adsorption study related to benefits of parent media size, i.e. microfibrillated cellulose (MC) versus nanocellulose (NC) support, for the preparation of magnetite (MG) based high performance adsorbent for arsenic removal was conducted. Precipitation of MG on amino terminal branched organic structure, L, either linked by maleic acid residue on NC surface (NC-MA/L) or linked by oxalyl bridge on MC surface (MC-O/L) produced NC-MA/L-MG and MC-O/L-MG adsorbents, respectively. Precipitation of nanosized MG on amino functionalized NC-MA/L and MC-O/L, performed according to optimized procedure, contributed to improved textural properties and adsorptive/kinetic performances of novel adsorbents. Adsorption capacity of arsenate, As(V), was in favor of NC-MA/L-MG (85.3 versus 18.5 mg g−1) while MC-O/L-MG exhibited faster kinetics (0.541 versus 0.189 g mg−1 min−1). Lower capacity of arsenite, As(III), removal, 68.3 mg g−1 for NC-MA/L-MG and 17.8 mg g−1 for MC-O/L-MG, were obtained. Calculated activation energies, 13.28 and 10.87 kJ mol−1 for NC-MA/L-MG and MC-O/L-MG with respect to As(V), respectively, suggest, in accordance with results of Weber-Morris fitting, that internal mass transfer controls adsorption process. Model free adsorption kinetics confirmed beneficial uses of MC-O/L-MG due to low activation energy dependence on the extent of adsorption

The influence of modification and vacuum/supercritical CO2 (scCO2) drying methods on the surface properties, morphology and thermal stability of cellulose nanocrystals (NC) was presented in this study. Introduction of reactive vinyl groups on NC surface was performed by either direct esterification with oleic acid, linseed or sunflower oil fatty acids; or by amidation of maleic acid/ethylene diamine with methyl ester of fatty acid. Obtained modified NC (m-NC) were characterized using FTIR and Raman spectroscopy; and by determination of acid, iodine and ester values. Structural analysis of m-NC showed varieties of forms, from spongy to nanostructural non-uniform layered morphology with observable agglomeration, which confirmed morphology dependence on modification/processing methods Thermogravimetry-MS spectrometry showed different thermal stability and degradation pathways of NC/m-NC. Incorporation of 1 wt% of reactive m-NC in unsaturated polyester lead to high performance nanocomposites and contributed to increase of stress at break in the range from 76 to 93%.

The possibility of producing and designing bio-epoxides based on the natural polyphenol lignin/epoxidized lignin and tannic acids for application as wood adhesives is presented in this work. Lignin and tannic acids contain numerous reactive hydroxyl phenolic moieties capable of being efficiently involved in the reaction with commercial epoxy resins as a substitute for commercial, non-environmentally friendly, toxic amine-based hardeners. Furthermore, lignin was epoxidized in order to obtain an epoxy lignin that can be a replacement for diglycidyl ether bisphenol A (DGEBA). Cross-linking of bio-epoxy epoxides was investigated via FTIR spectroscopy and their prospects for wood adhesive application were evaluated. This study determined that the curing reaction of epoxy resin can be conducted using lignin/epoxy lignin or tannic acid. Tensile shear strength testing results showed that lignin and tannic acid can effectively replace amine hardeners in epoxy resins. Examination of the failure of the samples showed that all samples had a 100% fracture through the wood. All samples of bio-epoxy adhesives displayed significant tensile shear strength in the range of 5.84–10.87 MPa. This study presents an innovative approach to creating novel cross-linked networks of eco-friendly and high-performance wood bio-adhesives.

A novel adsorbents NC-PEG, obtained by the modification of nanocellulose (NC) with PEG-6-arm amino polyethylene glycol (PEG-NH2) via maleic anhydride (MA) linker, was used for the removal of Cd2+ and Ni2+ from water. Subsequent precipitation of goethite (FO) on NC-PEG produced NC-PEG/FO adsorbent which was used for As(V) and As(III) removal. In a batch test, the influence of pH, contact time, initial ion concentration and temperature on adsorption efficiency were studied. The maximum adsorption capacities found for Cd2+ and Ni2+, obtained by the use of Langmuir model, were 37.9 and 32.4 mg g?1 at 25 ?C, respectively. Also, high As(V) and As(III) removal capacity of 26.0 and 23.6 mg g-1 were obtained. Thermodynamic parameters indicate endothermic, feasible and spontaneous nature of adsorption process. Kinetic study, i.e. fitting by Weber-Morris model predicted intra-particle diffusion as a rate-controlling step. Multi-cycle reusability of both NC-PEG and NC-PEG/FO, significantly affects the affordability of techno-economic indicators for consideration of their possible application.