Polypropylene (PP) is a highly sought-after synthetic polymer. Due to its properties, it has wide applications in a number of industries. One-dimensional molded materials (fibers and strands) are widely used in the textile and construction sectors. Concrete reinforcing using PP fiber is an intriguing use in construction. Fiber can be provided in two forms: fine fibers (microfiber) and extrudates (macrofiber). The macrofiber has a length of up to 60 mm and a thickness of up to 300 microns. The aim of the work was to obtain PP-based macrofibers from recycled polymer using the natural antioxidant tocopherol. The initial polymer is used to produce the fiber, whereas, in this work, it is proposed to use a secondary PP. Vitamin E, a natural antioxidant, was added to the system to stabilize the melts. It has been demonstrated that adding up to 0.5% Vitamin E reduces the heat degradation of the polymer and yields melts with the appropriate viscoelastic characteristics. Rheological data was used to determine the fiber’s formability window. Macrofibers were derived from melts with varying histories. Their structure was investigated using X-ray structural analysis and IR spectroscopy, and their mechanical characteristics were assessed.

Depending on the method of cellulose production, the proportion of alpha fraction in it can vary significantly. Paper pulp, unlike dissolving cellulose, has an alpha proportion of less than 90%. The presence of cellulose satellites in the system does not impede the formation of concentrated solutions of N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO). In the current study, spinning solutions based on cellulose with a low alpha fraction (up to 90%) (pulp cellulose) are investigated. The morphological features and rheological behavior of such solutions are examined. It is suggested to roll the obtained solutions in order to obtain cellulose membranes. X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, AFM and SEM were used to investigate the resulting structure and morphology of the obtained membranes. It is shown that the degree of crystallinity for the membranes varies based on the impurity content in the sample. The morphology of the films is characterized by a dense texture and the absence of vacuoles. The highest strength and elastic modulus were found for membranes made of bleached hardwood sulfate cellulose, 5.7 MPa and 6.4 GPa, respectively. The maximum values of the contact angle (48°) were found for films with a higher proportion of lignin. The presence of lignin in the membranes leads to an increase in rejection for the anionic dyes Orange II and Remazol Brilliant Blue R.

In this study, a new approach to stabilizing polypropylene (PP) melts using the bio-based antioxidant propyl gallate (PG) is considered. Since PG is extensively used in the food and cosmetics fields and its low doses do not cause reactions in humans, producing PP melts with PG is an interesting approach. Furthermore, PG is already actively used in the processing of natural polymers, for example, in the NMMO process. It is shown that introducing up to 0.2 wt.% PG into the system is sufficient to significantly reduce the decrease in melt viscosity during repeated PP processing. After five processing cycles, the viscosity of systems with PG decreases by less than an order of magnitude, while for melts without the antioxidant the viscosity drops by almost three orders of magnitude to 10 Pa s. For melts with antioxidant additives, the crossover point position in the frequency dependences remains virtually unchanged, indicating the preservation of the system’s elastic properties. Macrofibers were spun from the resulting melts, which can then be used for concrete reinforcement. For the spun fibers with PG, the strength decreased to 68.1 MPa after five passes, whereas for the PP fibers, the values did not exceed 31 MPa. The structure and properties of the fibers were studied using X-ray diffraction and IR spectroscopy, and contact angles were determined.

The development of durable road sealing materials capable of maintaining performance under combined mechanical and climatic loads remains a critical challenge for modern infrastructure. Conventional bitumen-based sealants exhibit limited resistance to high-temperature deformation, cracking, and adhesion degradation, leading to reduced service life. This study proposes a rheology-oriented approach to the design of polymer-reinforced bituminous sealants based on penetration-grade bitumen 50/70 and 70/100 modified with styrene–butadiene–styrene (SBS) copolymers up to 9 wt.% and reinforced with cellulose fibers. The rheological behavior of the developed composites was investigated using dynamic shear rheometry to determine the complex shear modulus (G*), phase angle (δ), and temperature–frequency dependencies in the range from −20 to +90 °C, while infrared spectroscopy was employed to assess intermolecular interactions. Adhesion performance was evaluated at different temperature. The modified systems demonstrated a 5–10-fold increase in G*/sinδ enhanced high-temperature stability, and improved adhesion and crack resistance compared to base bitumen. Based on the obtained rheological and performance indicators, the developed composition was approved for subsequent pilot-scale testing and field validation as a promising road sealing material.

Низкая продуктивность пастбищ и ее резкие колебания в пустынных регионах Западного Казахстана обусловлены естественно-историческими факторами этой природной зоны. Однако в последние годы эти недостатки пастбищ еще более усугубились в результате быстрого роста населения, непрерывного развития промышленности и транспорта в пустынных районах, а также возрастающего из года в год давления антропогенных и рукотворных факторов на растительность и почву. Это привело к нарушению структуры и нормального функционирования пастбищных экосистем и их деградации. Массовая деградация пастбищных экосистем в засушливых регионах Западного Казахстана происходит быстро, что диктует необходимость экологического восстановления этих разрушенных пастбищных угодий. Засоление является одной из старейших и наиболее серьезных экологических проблем в мире. Все более широко распространенное засоление почв и водных ресурсов представляет собой растущую угрозу для сельского хозяйства во всем мире. Для восстановления утраченного биоразнообразия кормовой продуктивности деградированных пастбищных экосистем были посеяны доминирующие виды кормовых растений: Прутняк простертый (Kochia prostrata (L.) Schrad.), Камфоросма монпелийская (Camphorosma monspeliaca), Терескен серый (Eurotia Ceratoides), Солянка восточная (Salsola orientalis), Травосмеси (прутняк простертый + камфоросма монпелийская + терескен серый). Стратегия решения этой проблемы заключается в возделывании солеустойчивых культур, и поэтому необходимо определить виды растений, которые естественным образом адаптированы к условиям высокой засоленности. В этом обзоре мы сосредоточим внимание на Камфоросме монпелийской (Camphorosma monspeliaca), которую можно считать одним из наиболее представительных галофитов. Целью этого обзора является проиллюстрировать основные биологические и агрономические характеристики камфоросмы монпелийской для восстановления биоразнообразия и продуктивности деградированных пастбищ в засушливых регионах Казахстана.

In arid ecosystems, soil salinity is the main factor determining the growth and development of crops under irrigation. After the development of saline lands for a long time (more than 50 years), the inefficiency of their improvement by washing salts against the background of collector-drainage systems was established, and in this regard, the main direction of struggle in modern conditions remains to be the selection of salt-resistant crops on dispersed developed small plots (40-100 hectares) among lands not used for irrigation, with a utilization factor (CI) of no more than 0.4. Non-irrigated areas in this case serve as a zone of aeration and accumulation of mineralized waters flowing from neighboring irrigated areas. This is how the positive balance of the salt regime of soils in the upper (0-70 cm) soil horizons is maintained to an average degree. And through the selection of crops that combine high salt resistance with high productivity, it is possible to develop medium-saline soils for irrigated cultural pastures. Conducted long-term experiments with a large set of crops under irrigation, differing in the degree of salinity, confirmed the high efficiency of the development of saline lands for irrigated cultural pasture. Of the selected crops, donnikas and alfalfa distinguished themselves by high salt resistance and climatically determined productivity, which provide stable high productivity, respectively, from 460.6 to 420.4 c/ha of pasture mass.