This work explores the polymerization of sodium 4-styrenesulfonate (NaSS) inside filter paper using dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma and its application in the environmental field. The plasma-based technique, performed under mild conditions, solves common problems associated with conventional polymerization inside porous materials. The polymerization process was monitored using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, which confirmed the consumption of double bonds, particularly in NaSS samples containing the optimal concentration of crosslinker divinyl benzene (DVB) (0.25% wt). Our work demonstrates the effectiveness and promise of DBD plasma as a substitute polymerization approach, especially for those in porous materials.

Zeolites are three-dimensional, microporous, crystalline solids with well-defined structures that contain aluminum, silicon, and oxygen in their form. Cations and water are located in the pores of zeolites. They have a framework structure, in which interconnected cavities are occupied by large metal cations (positively charged ions), and water molecules. The formation of specific zeolites can occur by more than one crystallization pathway. Control in the crystallization pathway can lead to the formation of different species. In this study, two new zeolite nanocomposites were synthesized using fixed raw materials including solvent, reagent (which acts as a template in the formation of zeolite morphology), silica source, and sodium hydroxide alkali. “MCM-22” mesoporous was first synthesized and then a new morphology of “MCM-22” was synthesized by changing the temperature, time, and amount of water. Also, two nanocomposites “ZSM-12 & 35 Composite” and “Zeolite Al-mordenite & ZSM-39 Composite” were synthesized with very different properties in terms of surface to volume ratio, acidity, specific surface area, ratio of Si to Al, and three-dimensional crystal structure. Various characterization techniques were used to provide information to better understand the structural properties of crystalline zeolites. They were then characterized, and analyzed using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), Mapping, and BET/BJH (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Barret-Joyner-Halenda (BJH)) techniques. The results showed that the synthetic zeolites, despite having the same precursors, differed in terms of surface to volume ratio, acidity, specific surface area, Si/Al ratio, and three-dimensional crystal structure.

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are synthetic polymers that mimic the functions of antibodies. Though MIPs are promising tools in various areas, achieving high selectivity in MIPs can be difficult. To improve selectivity, various approaches have been implemented; however, the role of polymerization methods or synthetic techniques in enhancing the selectivity of MIPs has not been studied and remains a crucial area for further research. MIPs are typically prepared from free radical reactions. Recently, we found that Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) plasma can be used to initiate the polymerization of vinyl monomers. The DBD plasma method allows the monomers to associate with the template molecules and initiate polymerization with minimal disruption to the positioning of the monomers. We hypothesize that this could be a preferred method to prepare MIPs over the traditional radical reaction that may cause a disturbance of the pre-associated monomers on the templates for the polymerization. Chicken egg white serum albumin (CESA) was used as the template protein for the MIPs. Our results show that in all test conditions, approximately twofold improvement in selectivity was achieved, which is the primary performance metric for MIPs. This enhancement was evident across all categories, including MIPs prepared from various monomer combinations.

Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma provides a solvent-free and energy-efficient approach for the in situ polymerization of styrene on cotton textiles. Traditional methods for polystyrene (PS) coating often require elevated temperatures, chemical initiators, or organic solvents, conditions that are incompatible with porous, heat-sensitive substrates such as cotton. In this work, we demonstrate that DBD plasma can initiate and sustain styrene polymerization directly on cotton fibers under ambient conditions. FT-IR spectroscopy confirms the consumption of the vinyl C=C bond and the formation of atactic, amorphous polystyrene. Thermogravimetric analysis indicates that the cotton coated with DBD polymerized PS exhibits enhanced thermal stability compared to cotton coated with commercial PS. Additionally, UV aging tests confirm that the plasma-deposited coating maintains its hydrophobicity after exposure to light. Together, these findings highlight DBD plasma as a sustainable and effective approach for producing hydrophobic, thermally robust, and UV-stable textile coatings without the need for solvents, initiators, or harsh processing conditions.