Poor fiber-matrix adhesion, inconsistent mechanical performance, and limited understanding of influence of fiber orientation and volume fraction in dynamic loading behavior are certain issues faced by previous researchers. The consequences of different fiber orientations and volume fractions over the mechanical behavior of jute-hemp hybrid materials is investigated in this research. The natural fibers are systematically configurational in unidirectional (UD-0°), bidirectional (BD-0°/90°), and random (RM) patterns, with fiber volume contents adjusted at 20
The increasing demand for intelligent packaging systems has stimulated the development of natural, eco-friendly freshness indicators capable of providing real-time information on food quality. In this study, anthocyanins extracted from Clitoria ternatea flowers were encapsulated in alginate–starch–polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel beads to develop a biodegradable colorimetric sensor for food spoilage monitoring. The extracted anthocyanins exhibited pronounced pH-responsive color transitions across pH 1–12, changing from pink-purple under acidic conditions to blue and green under alkaline conditions. The developed beads demonstrated high encapsulation efficiency [(79.6 ± 1.2)
As a major producer of wood-based panels, Türkiye generates substantial volumes of industrial furniture waste annually. Converting this waste into high-performance biocomposites supports circular economy strategies and reduces dependence on petroleum-based materials. This study evaluates polypropylene (PP) biocomposites reinforced with industrial wood flour, comparing a simplified one-stage reactive extrusion/compression molding process using vinyl trimethoxysilane (VTMS)/dicumyl peroxide with conventional maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene (MAPP) systems. Composites containing 40
Polymer-based membranes are increasingly being explored as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-derived materials for reverse osmosis (RO) desalination. In this study, biodegradable RO membranes were fabricated from sodium alginate (NaAlg) and guar gum (GG) and subsequently cross-linked with 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (3-GPTMS) to enhance their structural and functional performance. The influence of varying 3-GPTMS concentrations on the physicochemical properties and desalination performance of the membranes was systematically investigated. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed successful silane-mediated crosslinking, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses revealed that crosslinking produced smoother, denser and defect-free membrane surfaces with reduced roughness. Crosslinking also significantly enhanced mechanical strength, hydrophilicity, thermal stability, gel content and chlorine resistance, with tensile strength increasing from 3.84 to 8.82 MPa and the water contact angle decreasing from 65° to 52°, confirming improved surface wettability. The membranes further exhibited notable antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, attributed to ionic interactions between the biopolymer functional groups and the bacterial cell wall. Among all formulations, the optimized GS4 membrane delivered the best desalination performance, achieving permeation fluxes of 20.6 L/m²·h for NaCl and 22.6 L/m²·h for Na2SO4, along with high salt rejections of 95.5
Surface modification of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with ionic liquids (ILs) is an effective strategy for improving nanotube dispersion and interfacial interactions in rubber nanocomposites. However, the influence of IL-functionalized CNTs on the reinforcement, network development, and solvent resistance of heterogeneous natural rubber/ethylene–propylene–diene monomer (NR/EPDM) blends remains insufficiently understood. In this study, pristine CNTs and CNTs functionalized with two imidazolium-based ionic liquids, 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (HDMIM-Br) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([BMIM][TFSI]), were incorporated into NR/EPDM blends at loadings up to 8 phr using conventional melt blending. The effects of CNT surface modification on cure characteristics, mechanical properties, hardness, resilience, abrasion resistance, compression set, solvent resistance, crosslink density, and fracture morphology were systematically evaluated. Reinforcement increased with CNT loading up to an optimum concentration of 5 phr, while further loading reduced performance because of CNT agglomeration. At 5 phr, pristine CNTs increased tensile strength, 100
