Due to their unique structural, physical and chemical properties, cyclodextrins and their derivatives have been of great interest to scientists and researchers in both academia and industry for over a century. Many of the industrial applications of cyclodextrins have arisen from their ability to encapsulate, either partially or fully, other molecules, especially organic compounds. Cyclodextrins are non-toxic oligopolymers of glucose that help to increase the solubility of organic compounds with poor aqueous solubility, can mask odors from foul-smelling compounds, and have been widely studied in the area of drug delivery. In this review, we explore the structural and chemical properties of cyclodextrins that give rise to this encapsulation (i.e., the formation of inclusion complexes) ability. This review is unique from others written on this subject because it provides powerful insights into factors that affect cyclodextrin encapsulation. It also examines these insights in great detail. Later, we provide an overview of some industrial applications of cyclodextrins, while emphasizing the role of encapsulation in these applications. We strongly believe that cyclodextrins will continue to garner interest from scientists for many years to come, and that novel applications of cyclodextrins have yet to be discovered.
Solar cells in superstrate arrangement need a protective cover glass as one of its main components. The effectiveness of these cells is determined by the cover glass’s low weight, radiation resistance, optical clarity, and structural integrity. Damage to the cell covers brought on by exposure to UV irradiation and energetic radiation is thought to be the root cause of the ongoing issue of a reduction in the amount of electricity that can be generated by solar panels installed on spacecraft. Lead-free glasses made of xBi2O3–(40 − x)CaO-60P2O5 (x = 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 mol%) were created using the usual approach of melting at a high temperature. The amorphous nature of the glass samples was confirmed using X-ray diffraction. At energies of 81, 238, 356, 662, 911, 1173, 1332, and 2614 keV, the impact of various chemical compositions on gamma shielding in a phospho-bismuth glass structure was measured. The evaluation of gamma shielding revealed that the results of the mass attenuation coefficient of glasses increase as the Bi2O3 content increases but decrease as the photon energy increases. As a result of the study conducted on the radiation-deflecting properties of ternary glass, a lead-free low-melting phosphate glass that exhibited outstanding overall performance was developed, and the optimal composition of a glass sample was identified. The 60P2O5–30Bi2O3–10CaO glass combination is a viable option for use in radiation shielding that does not include lead.
The arsenic (As) pollution of water has been eliminated via intensive scientific efforts, with the purpose of giving safe drinking water to millions of people across the world. In this study, the adsorption of As(V) from a synthetic aqueous solution was verified using a Bentonite-Anthracite@Zetag (BT-An@Zetag) composite. The SEM, FT-IR, XRD, DSC, TGA, and SBET techniques were used to characterize the (BT-An@Zetag) composite. The adsorption of As(V) was explored using batch adsorption under varied operating scenarios. Five kinetic modelswere used to investigate kinetic data, whereas three isotherms had been used to fit empirical equilibrium data. According to the findings, the adsorption mechanism of As(V) was best described by the Freundlich isotherm with a maximum monolayer coverage of 38.6 mg/g showing pseudo-second-order mode. The estimated enthalpy (H°) indicates that the adsorption process is both chemical and endothermic.The calculated free energy (G°) indicates that the reaction is nonspontaneous. After four sequential adsorption cycles, the produced BT-An@Zetag composite demonstrated good reusability and a greater adsorption affinity for As(V) ions. Overall, the BT-An@Zetag composite is suited for removing arsenic from wastewater using adsorption as a cost-effective and efficient technique.
Methylene blue (MB) immobilized onto a sulfonated poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (SPGMA) polymer composite has been developed as a novel adsorbent for water treatment applications. The MB adsorptions onto sulfonated poly(glycidyl methacrylate) polymer characters have been studied. The adsorption isotherms, namely Langmuir and Freundlich, have been investigated. Other isotherm models. As a compromise between the Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models, such as the D–R isotherm and the Temkin isotherm, have been compared. The results indicated that the adsorption process followed the Freundlich isotherm model, indicating heterogeneous surface site energies and multi-layer levels of sorption. This study selected three linear kinetic models, namely pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, and Elovich, to describe the MB sorption process using SPGMA negatively charged nanoparticles (430 nm). The obtained data revealed that the adsorption process obeyed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, suggesting that the rate-limiting step in these sorption processes may be chemisorption. Furthermore, the thermodynamic parameters have been evaluated. Moreover, the interaction of the MB molecules with SPGMA nanoparticles has been simulated using the governing equation that describes ion exchange resin derived from Nernst—Plank equations between two ion species. Finally, the developed MB-SPGMA composite adsorbent (27 mg/g) wastested for the first time for the removal of Cr6+ ions and Mn7+ metal ions from dichromate and permanganate-contaminated waters under mild adsorption conditions, opening a new field of multiuse of the same adsorbent in the removal of more than one contaminant.
Methylene blue azo dye (MB) immobilized onto Poly (glycidyl methacrylate-Co-methyl methacrylate), (PGMA-co-PMMA), and sulphonated Poly (glycidyl methacrylate-Co-methyl methacrylate), (SPGMA-co-PMMA), polymers composites have been developed as novel adsorbents for water treatment applications. The effect of copolymer composition and sulphonation on the MB content has been studied. Maximum MB content was correlated to the Polyglycidyl methacrylate content for both native and sulphonated copolymers. Furthermore, the effect of the adsorption conditions on the MB content was studied. Sulfonated Poly (glycidyl methacrylate; SPGMA) was the most efficient formed composite with the highest MB content. The developed composites’ chemical structure and morphology were characterized using characterization tools such as particle size, FTIR, TGA, and SEM analyses. The developed MB-SPGMA composite adsorbent (27 mg/g), for the first time, was tested for the removal of Cr (VI) ions and Mn (VII) metal ions from dichromate and permanganate contaminated waters under mild adsorption conditions, opening a new field of multiuse of the same adsorbent in the removal of more than one contaminants.
The doped-CdO nanostructures with transition metals attract considerable interest due to their chemical and physical properties. That differs from those bulk materials, especially the variation of their optical bandgap, which makes them used in various applications. This communication focuses on the synthesis and characteristic properties of un-doped/doped Cd1-xCuxO nanocomposites produced by the co-precipitated technique. XRD patterns indicate the polycrystalline nature of the investigated samples whereas Cu atoms have been effectively diffused into the Cd sites. It is found that at lower concentrations of Cu (111) diffraction planes were mainly the preferential ones while at higher concentrations, the plane (200) appeared as a preferential one. The average particle size increases with the addition of Cu dopant. From TEM it is found that the average particle size ranges from ∼18 to 89 nm. SEM photographs show a formation of distinguished agglomerates. Also, EDX shows that the common elements (Cd, Cu, and O) were obtained without any impurities. The thermal stability increases with increasing Cu concentrations. The optical band gap (Eg) decreases and Urbach energy (Eu) increases, respectively, with increasing the content of Cu. As a result, the CdO doped Cu can be used to develop novel photovoltaic and light-emitting instruments.