Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) were synthesized and stabilized by biopolymers, namely, sodium lignosulfonate (LS) and starch sodium octenyl succinate (OSA). The obtained selenium nanoparticles were studied for their catalytic activity in the reduction of a dye (C.I. Basic Blue 9, methylene blue) by sodium borohydride. The SeNPs-OSA and SeNPs-LS nanoparticles were also dispersed in a photosensitive matrix and studied as polymer composites. The research confirmed the catalytic abilities of the prepared SeNPs in the reduction of the organic dye. Mechanical tests on the polymers and their composites showed an improvement in the composites’ strength in all tested cases. An increase in hardness and Young’s modulus values of the filled materials compared to the pure matrix was found as well.

The synthesis of manganese lignosulfonates by a two-step method has been reported. It was based on the conversion of technical sodium derivative of lignosulfonate to its hydrogen form i.e., lignosulfonic acid and its further reaction with manganese hydroxide. The obtained product was electroactive, and could be applied as the precursor of electroactive manganese oxide. The product showed a reversible redox activity in the potential range of 0 to 1 V vs. an Ag/AgCl reference electrode. The electroactivity of the obtained product can be tentatively assigned to the redox activity of both the electrodeposited MnO_x and the presence of lignosulfonate-derived quinones since the energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the presence of organic matter in the deposit. It also showed substantial electrocatalytic activity towards the anodic oxidation of hydrogen peroxide. This suggests that manganese lignosulfonates could be a valuable compound for the electrochemical preparation of electroactive layers that are suitable in the development of electrochemical sensors.

Nanotechnology is a branch of science focused on the fabrication and study of structures in which at least one dimension is less than 100 nm