Abstract in English:

Chitosan was reacted with monochloroacetic acid at room temperature for different reaction times (3h, 5h, 7h and 10h) and employing two chitosan/monochloroacetic acid molar ratios (1:4.3 or 1:8.6). The carboxymethylation of chitosan was confirmed by ¹H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The carboxymethylchitosans had average degrees of substitution ranging from 0.52 to 1.44 as determined by potentiometric and conductimetric analysis. The occurrence of N,O-carboxymethylation was also observed in all cases.

Abstract in English:

Important cellulose solvents are described based on the systematization of derivatizing and non-derivatizing solvents. Advances and limitations of the homogeneous phase chemistry of the biopolymer will be discussed based on new results considering adequately own research work in the field.

Abstract in English:

Chitosan incorporated in the aqueous subphase is found to affect the Langmuir monolayers of cholesterol, causing the surface pressure and the surface potential isotherms to become more expanded. The mean molecular area per cholesterol molecule in the condensed monolayer increases from 53 Ų in the absence of chitosan to 61 Ų for a concentration of 0.100 mg/mL of chitosan in the subphase. If additional chitosan is incorporated in the subphase, no change is noted, which points to saturation in the effects from chitosan. The interaction between chitosan and cholesterol probably occurs via hydrogen bonding. The monolayer expansion is also manifested in the monolayer morphology, as indicated by Brewster angle microscopy measurements, where larger cholesterol domains are visualized when chitosan is present in the subphase.

Abstract in English:

The furan heterocycle is a dienic reagent particularly suitable for the Diels-Alder reaction and maleimides represent a typical family of complementary reagents because of their strong dienophilic character. This paper reviews critically the studies devoted to the exploitation of the Diels Alder reaction between those moieties to synthesise macromolecular materials possessing different structures and properties. The most relevant approaches in this field are (i) polycondensation reactions calling upon A-A and B-B monomers and (ii) reversible cross-linking of linear polymers bearing pendant furan or maleimide moieties, based on the temperature sensitivity of the Diels-Alder equilibrium.

Abstract in English:

Leather is a fibrous protein consisting of collagen in a three dimensionally crosslinked network. Chrome tanning of leather improves the appearance of leather but at the same time emits both solid and liquid chrome leather wastes. Scrap rubber recycling using untreated and neutralized leather fibrous particles in natural rubber has been studied. Vulcanization, mechanical, morphological and swelling properties of the natural rubber - scrap rubber composites containing neutralized leather have been discussed. Use of chrome leather particles has been found to improve the consumption of scrap rubber powder in natural rubber formulations. Polymer composites based on leather wastes as fillers are reported to be useful for many applications such as in construction materials, automobile interior moldings, heat and sound insulating boards, shoe soles, flooring materials and moldings with good anti-static properties, air permeability and good appearances.

Abstract in English:

Solid lithium-conducting nanocomposite polymer electrolytes based on poly(oxyethylene) (POE) were prepared from high aspect ratio cellulosic whiskers and lithium imide salt, LiTFSI. The cellulosic whiskers were extracted from tunicate -a sea animal- and consisted of slender parallelepiped rods that have an average length around 1 µm and a width close to 15 nm. High performance nanocomposite electrolytes were obtained. The filler provided a high reinforcing effect while a high level of ionic conductivity was retained with respect to unfilled polymer electrolytes. Cross-linking and plasticizing of the matrix as well as preparation of the composites from an organic medium were also investigated.

Abstract in English:

Several approaches to the modification of cellulose fibres are described, namely: (i) physical treatments such as corona or plasma treatments under different atmospheres; (ii) grafting with hydrophobic molecules using well-known sizing compounds; (iii) grafting with bi-functional molecules, leaving one of the functions available for further exploitation; and (iv) grafting with organometallic compounds. The modified surfaces were characterized by elemental analysis, contact angle measurements, inverse gas chromatography, X-ray photoelectron and infrared spectroscopy, wettability, etc. These different tools provided clear-cut evidence of the occurrence of chemical reactions between the grafting agent used and the hydroxy functions of the cellulose surface, as well as of the existence of covalent bonding in the ensuing composite materials between the matrix and the fibres through the use of doubly reactive coupling agents.

Abstract in English:

As an example for an environmentally benign and low-cost material we prepared blends from 1. copolyester-urethanes (PEU) and 2. cellulose acetate recycling material (CAR). The copolyester-urethanes were prepared by joining blocks of alpha, omega-(poly-(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate)-diol and poly-butylenglycol-adipate-diol with hexamethylene diisocyanate. Fibrous CAR was transformed into a short-fiber felt by textile technology and calendared into the PEU melt. The processing of the blends was done at 80 - 100 °C mainly by injection molding. The mechanical properties of the tough-elastic materials were studied with respect to the influence of the PEU composition and the ratio of CAR admixture. The starting materials, (R)-PHB and cellulose derivatives are obtained from agrarian resources. Therefore, the resulting polymers are stable under conditions of usage, yet readily bio-degradable on soil deposition. Mixing with cellulose acetate waste material allows for cost-effective production of such blends.

Abstract in English:

Extractions of apple pectins from apple pomace were performed using an experimental design with 2² factorial. The extractor agent was 5 % (w/v) citric acid and the variables were time (30, 50 and 80 min) and temperature (50, 75 and 100 °C). The best yield (16.8 %) was obtained using higher temperatures (100 °C; 80 min). Monosaccharide composition of the pectic fractions was similar to others already described.

Abstract in English:

Aging of cornstarch films prepared by casting was investigated. Water and glycerol-plasticized cornstarch films were stored at 50% relative humidity over a period of 330 days. Aging was followed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). XRD spectra indicated development of B-type crystallinity even for fresh films and that the crystallinity index increased from 0.06 to 0.28 as a function of storage time. AFM images of 270-day-old films revealed that the general morphology and the overall roughness have not changed due to aging. AFM phase contrast images at higher magnification showed an increasing number of ordered domains at the surface of these films, which may be attributed to recrystallization of amylose. No morphological change was observed at least at the surface of the granular region, which is enriched in amylopectin.

Abstract in English:

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) is a thermoplastic polyester with a great potential owing to its biodegradability, bioreabsorbation and biological synthesis from a renewable source. Despite these characteristics, the applications of this polymer are very restricted due to its poor mechanical properties and thermal instability at temperatures above its melting point (around 175°C). Among the possibilities of improvement of these materials, the development of blends is a relatively fast and inexpensive option. Poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) is a semi-crystalline polymer that may be used as a biomaterial. It presents good mechanical properties, a low melting point (around 55 °C), and could be a good option to develop PHB blends, maintaining the biodegradability and bioreabsorption properties. The objective of the present work was to obtain blends of PHB and PCL by melting mixture in an internal mixer. The compositions varied from 0 to 30 wt% of PCL. DSC, DMA, and SEM were used to characterize the blends. The blends were found to be imiscible with no indication of interaction either the amorphous or crystalline state. The morphology shows PHB as the matrix and PCL as the dispersed phase.

Abstract in English:

Natural fiber reinforced composite is an emerging area in Polymer science. The use of lignocellulosic materials in thermoplastic composites may contribute to reduce the waste of vegetal biomass. The natural fibers are biodegradable, low cost materials having density and specific properties comparable to those of conventional fiber composites. In this work composites of polypropylene (PP) plus maleated polypropylene (MAPP) filled with sawdust were prepared under fixed processing conditions (mixing temperature, mixing time and rate of rotation). The composites were fractured by tension and the fracture mechanisms were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The SEM studies of the fractured surfaces of the composites indicate that the failure is due to fiber pull-out accompanied by tearing of the matrix; the pull-out increases with MAPP content.

Abstract in English:

Films of chitosan and N,N,N-trimethylchitosan were cast from aqueous solutions. Chitosan was dissolved in 1% acetic acid while deionized water was the solvent for N,N,N-trimethylchitosan chloride. The resulting films presented different mechanical behaviors as evaluated by DMTA. The film of chitosan exhibited an elastic-type behavior while that of N,N,N-trimethylchitosan was typically viscous. No glass transition temperatures were observed; however, a discrete thermal transition was detected at 25 °C in the case of the N,N,N-trimethylchitosan.

Abstract in English:

Galactomannans (GMs) extracted from seeds of a native Brazilian specie designated Cassia fastuosa (cassia) and from Cyamopsis tetragonolobus (guar gum - a commercial GM) were mixed with agar, in the proportion of 3/3 g.L¹ (w/w), and used as a gelling agent in Marubakaido apple rootstock (Malus prunifolia Borkh) micropropagation. The rheological measurements of the gels showed a good interaction between both hidrocolloids. The micropropagation results on these media were compared with behaviour of standard medium containing agar only (6 g.L-1). Results from in vitro experiments indicated enhanced proliferation of apple shoots and also the occurrence of hyperhydric shoots was lower in the modified gel-medium.

Abstract in English:

New types of polyurethanes were prepared by reacting diisocyanates and formiated soy polyols with different OH functionalities. Thermal properties and degradation kinetics were investigated by TGA. All prepared PU's showed at least two-weight loss steps, the first one, around 210 °C. Thermal stability of these PUs depends strongly on urethane groups per unit volume and an increase in the weight loss was observed as a result of the increased amount of urethane groups. Degradation kinetics behavior of the soy-based polyurethanes was investigated according to the Flynn method. Different average activation energy values were obtained from isothermal and isoconversional curves, 140.6 KJ/mol and 62.8 KJ/mol, respectively, indicating the complexity of the PUs degradation process.