Ca-based materials derived from calcined cigarette butts for CO_(2)capture and thermochemical energy storage

Cigarette butts(CBs)are one of the most common types of litter in the world.Due to the toxic substances they contain,the waste generated poses a harmful risk to the environment,and therefore there is an urgent need for alternative solutions to landfill storage.Thus,this work presents a possible revalorization of this waste material,which implies interesting environmental benefits.CBs were used as sacrificial templates for the preparation of CaO-based materials by impregnation with calcium and magnesium nitrates followed by flaming combustion.These materials presented enhanced porosity for their use in the Calcium Looping process applied either to thermochemical energy storage or CO_(2)capture applications.The influence of the concentration of Ca and Mg in the impregnating solutions on the multicycle reactivity of the samples was studied.An improved multicycle performance was obtained in terms of conversion for both applications.

Functionalised Poly(Vinyl Alcohol)/Graphene Oxide as Polymer Composite Electrolyte Membranes

Crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol)(PVA)based composite films were prepared as polyelectrolyte membranes for low temperature direct ethanol fuel cells(DEFC).The membranes were functionalised by means of the addition of graphene oxide(GO)and sulfonated graphene oxide(SGO)and crosslinked with sulfosuccinic acid(SSA).The chemical structure was corroborated and suitable thermal properties were found.Although the addition of GO and SGO slightly decreased the proton conductivity of the membranes,a significant reduction of the ethanol solution swelling and crossover was encountered,more relevant for those functionalised with SGO.In general,the composite membranes were stable under simulated service conditions.The addition of GO and SGO particles permitted to buffer the loss and almost retain similar proton conductivity than prior to immersion.These membranes are alternative polyelectrolytes,which overcome current concerns of actual commercial membranes such as the high cost or the crossover phenomenon.

Suitability of Blends from Virgin and Reprocessed Polylactide: Performance and Energy Valorization Kinet

A blending strategy of virgin and reprocessed polylactide may be postulated as an alternative to reduce the material cost at industrial level,and as a valorization route to plastic waste management of production scraps.The performance of blends prepared from virgin polylactide and polylactide mechanically reprocessed up to two cycles(PLA-V/R)was assessed in terms of thermo-oxidative stability,morphology,viscoelasticity and thermal kinetics for energetic valorization.PLA-V/R blends showed appropriate thermo-oxidative stability.The amorphous nature of polylactide was preserved after blending.The viscoelastic properties showed an increment of the mechanical blend effectiveness,which suggested the feasibility of using PLA-V/R blends under similar mechanical conditions to those of virgin PLA goods.Finally,it was shown that the energetic valorization of PLA-V/R blends would result in a more feasible process,due to the lower required activation energy,thus highlighting the advantages of the energetic demand for the process.In conclusion,PLA-V/R blends showed similar processability,service performance and valorization routes as virgin PLA and therefore could be relevant in the sustainable circular industry of bioplastics.

Influence of the Molecular Weight on PVA/GO Composite Membranes for Fuel Cell Applications

Composite polymer electrolyte membranes were prepared with poly(vinyl alcohol)(PVA).Two different molecular weight(Mw),67·103 and 130·103 g·mol−1 were selected,cross-linked with sulfosuccinic acid(SSA)and doped graphene oxide(GO).The effects on the membranes obtained from these polymers were characterized in order to evaluate the fuel cell performance.Electron microscopy showed a proper nanoparticle distribution in the polymer matrix.The chemical structure was evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.The absence of a crystalline structure and the enhancement on the thermal stability with the addition of 1%of GO was demonstrated by thermal characterization.Total transference number and protonic conductivity were correlated to the performance of a hydrogen fuel cell.Overall,a power increase in the composite membranes with lower molecular weight was observed.Shorter polymer chains may improve protonic conductivity and consequently the fuel cell performance.

Application of Antimicrobial Microcapsules on Agrotextiles

The aim of this work was to develop a functional biodegradable nonwoven with antimicrobial microcapsules maintaining the stability and biodegradability of the nonwoven for use in agriculture applications. The nonwoven was obtained using hemp fibers by Wetlaid technology. Microcapsules were prepared by co-extrusion/gelling method with alginate as shell and oregano oil as core material. The microcapsules were developed to protect and control release of oregano oil. Microcapsules were incorporated on the nonwoven by coating method using a natural polymer as a graft material. After incorporating micro-capsules, the nonwoven was subjected to several tests in order to determinate the microcapsules fixation and their functionality. The nonwovens were characterized for their antimicrobial activity against different kinds of bacteria and fungi. Nonwoven loaded with microcapsules was found to show good antimicrobial activity in comparison with nonwoven that was not loaded with microcapsules.