Glucosamine is a natural drug widely used for treating osteoarthritis and is usually left until it expires, which will cause a waste of resources if treated as garbage. However, its molecule contains many heteroatoms, entitling it to be a potential corrosion inhibitor. In this investigation, the corrosion inhibition activities of two types of expired glucosamine drugs (glucosamine hydrochloride and glucosamine sulfate) on carbon steel were estimated by electrochemical methods in the acidic solution. The results demonstrated that the glucosamine drugs were mixed-type corrosion inhibitors. Glucosamine hydrochloride could inhibit the carbon steel corrosion more significantly than that of sulfuric style at the same glucosamine content, suggesting a possible synergistic effect of glucosamine molecules with halide ions. Then, the co-adsorption behaviors of glucosamine sulfate with iodide ions were studied by experimental research, as well as theoretical investigations. The results indicated that the inhibition effect could be significantly enhanced when the glucosamine drug was utilized in combination with iodide ions. The electronic structures played a critical role in the synergistic inhibition of glucosamine drugs and iodide ions. Neutral molecules could interact with the metallic surface vertically through the amino and carbonyl groups, while protonated molecules were able to adsorb on it in parallel with the help of multiple functional groups. Since glucosamine molecules would be protonated and positively charged in the acidic solution, they were difficult to adsorb on the solid surface with metallic cations. When the iodide ions were presented, they preferentially adsorbed on the carbon steel surface and induced it to be negatively charged. Therefore, protonated glucosamine molecules could adsorb on the metallic surface using iodide ions as a bridge and form a protective film to mitigate the carbon steel corrosion.

A series of Zr-TiO₂ catalysts were prepared using a facile sol-gel method and were used for N-methylmorpholine (NMM) oxidation to N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO). The structure features of Zr-TiO₂ catalysts were studied in detail through a variety of characterization methods, such as XRD, SEM, N₂ adsorption-desorption isotherms, XPS, EPR, and O₂-TPD. As-obtained 5%Zr-TiO₂ catalysts had superior catalytic performance and stability with a 97.6% NMMO yield at 40 °C, which related to Zr doping, a higher surface area, more oxygen vacancies, and oxygen chemisorption on the catalytic surface. This work provides an efficient preparation strategy of TiO₂-based catalysts for selective oxidation reactions by a facile method.

Transition metal oxides, particularly NiFe(OH)₂, are recognized for their high oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity and structural stability. However, their performance in natural seawater electrolysis remains insufficiently studied. Manganese dioxide (MnO₂), which is known for its multiple crystal phases and high OER selectivity, can be incorporated to enhance the catalytic properties. In this study, the OER catalytic performance of carbon cloth-supported manganese dioxide-modified nickel–iron bimetallic hydroxide (MnO₂-NiFe-LDH/CC) electrodes was explored in both alkaline and natural seawater. Electrochemical tests demonstrated that the MnO₂-NiFe-LDH/CC electrode achieved overpotentials of 284 mV and 363 mV at current densities of 10 mA·cm⁻² and 100 mA·cm⁻², respectively, with a Tafel slope of 68.6 mV·dec⁻¹ in alkaline seawater. Most importantly, the prepared MnO₂-NiFe-LDH/CC electrode maintained stable OER performance over 120 h of testing. In natural seawater, the MnO₂-NiFe-LDH/CC electrode outperformed the NiFe-LDH/CC electrode by exhibiting an oxygen evolution selectivity of 61.1%. This study highlights the potential of MnO₂-modified nickel–iron-based materials for efficient and stable OER in seawater electrolysis, which offers a promising approach for sustainable hydrogen production in coastal desert regions.

In this work, a tomato biochar composite modified with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB@TBC) was successfully synthesized using an ethanol solution method. It was comprehensively characterized to evaluate its morphology (SEM), crystal structure (XRD), chemical bonding (FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy), surface area (BET analysis), and thermal stability (TGA). The adsorption performance of the composite for xylenol orange (XO) was subsequently evaluated in detail. The findings revealed that CTAB@TBC exhibited a maximum adsorption capacity of 150.59 mg/g for XO. Kinetic analysis indicated that the adsorption process conformed to a pseudo-second-order model, implying that chemisorption was the step limiting the rate. The Langmuir model accurately described the adsorption isotherm data, suggesting monolayer adsorption on a uniform surface. Thermodynamic evaluation further revealed a negative Gibbs free energy (ΔG) change, confirming the spontaneity of the adsorption process. In summary, the results suggest that CTAB@TBC is a highly effective adsorbent for eliminating dyes from wastewater and offers considerable promise for treating industrial effluents.

Novel superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) were synthesized by performing aqueous solution graft copolymerization of potato starch xanthate and partially hydrolyzed acrylamide using N , N ′-methylene-bis-acrylamide as a crosslinker and potassium persulfate as an oxidant at 35–45°C. Various factors that influence the water absorption of SAPs were studied in detail, and the optimum formulation ratio was determined via orthogonal experiments. Several spectroscopic techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and transmission electron microscopy, were used to determine the structure of the SAPs. In addition, adsorption experiments were carried out with various heavy metal ions, including divalent copper ions, zinc ions, nickel ions, cobalt ions, cadmium ions, and lead ions. Experiments showed that the prepared SAP has a high adsorption performance (>48 mg·g ⁻¹ ). Thus, these materials are expected to have important applications in the removal of heavy metal ions and the separation of dyes in aquatic environments.

In this study, a MIL-100(Fe)@KTBC composite was successfully fabricated via an in situ hydrothermal method using KOH-activated tomato-biochar-derived carbon (KTBC) as the support, and was applied for the efficient adsorptive removal of xylenol orange (XO) from water. Characterization by SEM, XRD, FTIR, XPS, and BET confirmed that MIL-100(Fe) was successfully loaded onto the KTBC surface, and the resulting composite exhibited a well-developed porous structure, abundant functional groups, and good thermal stability. Adsorption experiments showed that MIL-100(Fe)_0.5@KTBC delivered the optimal performance, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 246.12 mg/g; high removal efficiency was achieved at pH 4.0 and an adsorbent dosage of 0.4 g/L. The adsorption process followed pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Langmuir isotherm model, indicating spontaneous, endothermic, monolayer adsorption dominated by chemisorption. The composite also demonstrated strong resistance to interfering ions and favorable reusability. This work provides a scientific basis for the development of efficient and stable biochar-based MOF composites for the treatment of printing and dyeing wastewater.