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Facility location selection and internal layout planning are critical strategic decisions for long-term sustainability. This study identified the most feasible location and optimal layout for a commercial bedroom furniture manufacturing facility through a seven-phase evaluation of Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, and Bursa. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and PROMETHEE were used for city and district selection, with AHP calculating criteria weights and PROMETHEE ranking alternatives. The Borda Count Method aggregated MCDM results, selecting Istanbul as the optimal city and Dudullu Organized Industrial Zone (O.I.Z.) as the most favorable district. The CORELAP method developed an optimal singlestory layout for a 2688 m² production and assembly facility, enhancing production flow, reducing material handling costs, and improving efficiency. These findings underscore the importance of strategic facility location and layout planning in improving the furniture industry's competitiveness and sustainability. The practical implications of this research are significant, as the findings can be directly applied to improve the competitiveness of the furniture industry. The study offers a comprehensive framework for strategic decision-making, providing valuable insights and a systematic approach applicable to similar problems in various sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to test the utility of ammonium persulfate (APS) oxidised nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) as an additive for chitosan- and alginate-based biopolymer films that could eventually be used as paper coatings for food packaging applications. Sodium alginate and chitosan were used as the base for the films. Various concentrations of APS oxidised NFC ranging from 0% to 10% were used as a reinforcing agent, resulting in six combinations of either alginate-NFC or chitosan-NFC composite films. Biofilms were tested for their mechanical properties (tensile strength and strain), grease barrier properties, air permeability, water vapour permeability, and degradation in the soil. Overall, when using the ammonium persulfate oxidation pretreatment method, the best performance of the films was estimated with the addition of 2.5% NFC.

Recently, new brake pads have been developed using sustainable materials that are not harmful to the environment. In this study, the effect of using blue-colored Cupressus arizonica cones was determined as a friction modifier in brake pad composites. Four different samples were prepared by grinding the cone material. The samples’ physical and chemical properties and performances were compared, and finally, their microscopic analyses were visualized by scanning electron microscopy. Maximum friction coefficient and minimum wear rate are required for brake pads. The maximum friction coefficient of 0.39 and the minimum wear rate of the samples containing Cupressus arizonica were obtained in the 0.124X10-7 cm³ /Nm BCA3 sample. When the brake pads developed from lignocellulosic biomass were compared, it was determined that the BCA3 sample met the most reasonable performance values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermoplastic elastomer composites based on ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), natural rubber (NR), and Mengkuang leaf fibre were prepared using the sulfur and peroxide vulcanization systems. Different curing systems and fibre loadings affecting the processing torque, tensile, thermal, and morphology of the composites were investigated. Addition of Mengkuang leaf fibre resulted in poor fibre dispersion and agglomeration in the matrix, which may have affected the efficiency of stress transfer and thus could explain a decline in tensile and thermal properties. Composites with dynamic vulcanization showed a rougher surface that might be due to the presence of crosslinking, which requires more force to fail. The increase in stabilization torque for the composites with dynamic vulcanization was observed due to the addition of curing agents, which implies some changes at the molecular level due to crosslinking. Tensile properties of Mengkuang leaf fibre filled EVA/NR composites indicated that the tensile strength, elongation at break, and Young’s modulus of the peroxide cure system were higher than the sulfur cure system and unvulcanised composites. The sulphur cure system showed better resistance towards thermal degradation compared to the peroxide cure system. This was attributed to dicumyl peroxide (DCP), which degrades the polymer chain or the composites at high temperature.

Wooden foams have been extensively researched in recent years because of their special structure and green features. At the same time, noise pollution is increasing, prompting sound insulation to become another research focus. In this study, a three-factor, five-level orthogonal experiment was designed, and 25 sets of specimens were produced for testing and analysis in 19 frequency bands. To measure the sound insulation, two criteria were used: the material sound loss rate (for determining mass) and the material sound loss rate (for determining volume sound). After measuring, these two values were compared. It was found that the material was highly isolated from high frequency noise. The amount of adhesive used and the choice of mould had a considerable effect on the sound insulation of the specimens as the foaming rate was varied. Good sound insulation can be achieved when the foaming rate is very low and when the foaming rate is very high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine the insecticidal effectiveness of commercial fast- and slow-acting termiticides against Reticulitermes speratus by observing the changes in its activity patterns over time. Both the Petri dish and planar arena methods were used to evaluate colony mortality and activity changes over time associated with each termiticide, and the evaluation methods were compared. A colony elimination pattern was observed weekly in R. speratus colonies that ingested fast- or slow-acting termiticides using the planar arena method; however, the results showed that the Petri dish method was not suitable for evaluating slow-acting termiticides with an insecticidal effect that appeared after 3 weeks or more. In the colony-level evaluation, using the planar arena method, termites that ingested fipronil bait became sublethal within 1 week and died inside the 2 m plastic tube connected to the bait feeding site. The dead termites accumulated in the plastic tube and blocked access to the bait feeding site. In contrast, termites that ingested bait treated with bistrifluron or hexaflumuron during the first 3 weeks of the experiment spread throughout the colony. Decreased colony activity and immune mechanism collapse were observed in all screens and subnests, and more than 95% of termites in the colony had died after 10 weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermoplastic elastomer composites based on ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), natural rubber (NR), and Mengkuang leaf fibre were prepared using the sulfur and peroxide vulcanization systems. Different curing systems and fibre loadings affecting the processing torque, tensile, thermal, and morphology of the composites were investigated. Addition of Mengkuang leaf fibre resulted in poor fibre dispersion and agglomeration in the matrix, which may have affected the efficiency of stress transfer and thus could explain a decline in tensile and thermal properties. Composites with dynamic vulcanization showed a rougher surface that might be due to the presence of crosslinking, which requires more force to fail. The increase in stabilization torque for the composites with dynamic vulcanization was observed due to the addition of curing agents, which implies some changes at the molecular level due to crosslinking. Tensile properties of Mengkuang leaf fibre filled EVA/NR composites indicated that the tensile strength, elongation at break, and Young’s modulus of the peroxide cure system were higher than the sulfur cure system and unvulcanised composites. The sulphur cure system showed better resistance towards thermal degradation compared to the peroxide cure system. This was attributed to dicumyl peroxide (DCP), which degrades the polymer chain or the composites at high temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphological and thermal properties of composites containing a bioplastic blend and micro/nano-sized biochar from pyrolyzed jatropha seeds from microwave pyrolyzed jatropha seeds were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry. The biocomposite samples exhibited a brittle structure with a slightly ductile chip-like appearance. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results for the PLA/PEMA/BC bio-composites were comparable to the PLA/BC biocomposites. A lower bio-filler content had more pronounced peak intensities than the higher bio-filler content biocomposites. The added PEMA compatibilizer in the PLA/PEMA/BC biocomposite showed more pronounced peaks, which indicated slightly improved bonding/interaction between the bio-filler and the matrix. Overall, increasing bio-filler content did not drastically affect the functional groups of the biocomposites. Thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry analysis showed the developed biocomposites had a slight improvement in thermal stability, in comparison to the PLA sample. Improvements in the thermal stability of the PLA/PEMA/BC biocomposite could be attributed to the additional hydroxyl group, which was due to the added PEMA in the PLA and PLA/BC. According to the results of the analysis of the developed biocomposites, the biocomposites were more brittle and had reasonable thermal stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferric (III) chloride, when prepared as an ionic solution, was used to pretreat oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) before undergoing enzymatic hydrolysis to convert into value-added products. The pretreatment was assisted with microwave irradiation to improve the degradation of recalcitrant structure of lignocellulosic materials with minimum time. The effects of salt concentration, temperature, and duration of pretreatment on the chemical composition of OPEFB and total reducing sugar (TRS) yield were investigated. The results revealed that the best pretreatment occurred at pretreatment time of 10 min, 100 °C, and ferric chloride concentration of 10 w/v%. The TRS yield achieved using the pretreated OPEFB was approximately 0.485 g/g, which was three times higher than the non-pretreated OPEFB, which was only 0.154 g/g. Thus, the ionic solution pretreatment method is a promising alternative for replacing other pretreatment methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar was synthesized from biomass (jatropha seeds) through a low microwave pyrolysis temperature of 180°C with microwave power of 2kW. A ball milling process reduced the jatropha seed biochar size and converted it in to micro-nanocarbon biofiller. After ball milling, the biochar size was reduced from 1 to 3 mm to the 10 μm to 600 nm range, which is around a 90% reduction in size. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis were used to determine the jatropha seed biofillers properties with respect to the ball milling processes. BET results revealed increasing surface area from 0.10 to 3.67 m²/g, and EDS results revealed the elemental composition of the jatropha seed biofillers. The carbon mass percentage increased from 72.6 to 81.2%. Both results were after ball milling for 30 hours. The FTIR results revealed an increase in transmittance intensity and some reduction in peaks after ball milling. Production of micro-nano carbon fillers from microwave pyrolysis jatropha seeds biochar are applicable as reinforcement fillers for high strength composite material fabrications. Scanning electron microscopy, EDS, FTIR, and BET analysis results indicated size reduction of the biochar with increased carbon content from 72.6 to 81.2% as surface area increased from 0.10 to 3.67 m²/g after 30 hours of ball milling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is a bio-based building material that enables rapid construction and buildings with low embodied energy. Despite its comparative maturity in European markets, relatively little information regarding process design and economics for the manufacture of cross-laminated timber is available in the literature. Two techno-economic analyses were conducted to quantify the mill-gate cost of cross-laminated timber. The cross-laminated timber manufacturing process was described, and costs were analyzed for two facility scales. Cross-laminated timber produced at the large-scale facility using lumber priced at an average value for the northwest United States has a minimum selling price of $536/m³. Sensitivity analyses were used to define the impact of plant size, asset utilization, lumber price, plant capital cost, material waste, and other variables on minimum selling price. The cost of cross laminated timber rises quickly when a facility is not fully utilized. The second-ranking cost controlling variable is lumber price, while energy prices have minimal influence. The price of cross laminated timber can be optimized by locating a facility near low-cost lumber. The lowest-price region analyzed was the southeast United States using Southern Pine, which reduced the cost of cross laminated timber to $518/m³. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adhesives, flame-retardant chemicals, and paints are used in engineered wood products (EWPs) to increase some of the properties of wood. Most of the engineered wood composites, including plywood, particleboard, and fiberboard, used as furniture components contain formaldehyde resins as an adhesive. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) added formaldehyde to the list of human carcinogens (Group 1) in 2004. Flame-retardant chemicals are semi-volatile organic compounds that can migrate from the products to the air. There are developmental neurotoxic effects from flame-retardant additives, among which polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are commonly used in EWPs. The flexibility and durability of plastics are increased using phthalates, which are a class of synthetic chemicals, by adding them to the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) that is used in the wood-plastic composites (WPC). Formaldehyde, PBDEs, and phthalates are toxicants that are commonly present in value-added furniture products. This review summarized the toxic effects of these chemicals from the aspect of human health and from the perspective of green products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing demand for the production of biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass. Lignocellulosic biomass consists mainly of three polymeric components: cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin. The separation of these components requires an effective pretreatment process to ensure high quality glucose production, and is highly influenced by several factors, including moisture content, cellulose crystallinity, lignin content, and available surface area. Over time, numerous pretreatment methods have been utilized to change the lignocellulosic fiber structure and to enhance the enzymatic saccharification of cellulose to polysaccharides. This article reviews thermal-based pretreatment of lignocellulosic fiber used for glucose production. Based on the reviewed studies, autohydrolysis of lignocellusic biomass, followed by the “Instant pressure drop (DIC),” method can be regarded as an effective pretreatment process of lignocellusic biomass.

A new method involving the non-covalent binding of Coomassie Brilliant Blue G-250 (CBBG) to alkali-soluble lignin was developed. The binding of the dye to alkali-soluble lignin caused an increase in visible absorption at the maximum wavelength of 630 nm or 640 nm. A linear correlation of the absorbance at their maximum absorbing peak with alkali-soluble lignin concentration was observed. Lignin estimation in black liquor showed that the result of the new method and the gravimetric methods after acidification were closer to quantitative information than that obtained from UV spectroscopy. The isothermal titration calorimetric experiments, and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy comparative analysis of precipitates washed by water, 4% ethanol, and 95% ethanol indicated that CBBG was bound to alkali-soluble lignin, and the binding was non-covalent. This potential method is reproducible, rapid, and cheap, and there is little or no inference from carbohydrate degradation products.

Marine environments are unique habitats for microorganisms and represent uninvestigated areas that possess valuable resources. Fungi may also be important because they contribute to marine ecosystems as decomposers. The aims of this study were to investigate the halo-tolerance of marine-derived fungi and their enzymatic properties. Eighteen fungal strains representing 11 different species were used, which included 17 ascomycetes and a zygomycete. The majority were not affected by salinity and showed endo-glucanase (EG) and β-glucosidase (BGL) activities. Interestingly, the cellulolytic enzyme activity derived from Penicillium chrysogenum FU42 increased with salinity. To investigate whether this increase was due to an adaptation or an innate ability of the species, P. chrysogenum KCTC6933, which originated from a terrestrial environment, was used as a control, and its enzymatic properties were compared. Consequently, P. chrysogenum FU42, which was derived from the ocean, showed unique enzymatic properties that might enable the fungus to live in the ocean and contribute to the nutrient cycle in marine ecosystems.

The feasibility of solid-state fermentation was studied for sea buckthorn seed residues (SBSR). Effects of different fermentation parameters were evaluated regarding the levels of biomass and compounds in aqueous and non-aqueous extracts. In the latent and logarithmic phases of fermentation, the total phenols and flavonoids were increased. The microbes' decomposition on fibrous matter allowed the active components to be fully extracted. The changes of total sugar levels had a contrary trend with the changes of total phenol and flavonoid contents. The monosaccharide and polypeptide contents decreased dramatically and then kept steady along with the fermentation. Unsuitable environments led to weak growth of the fungi, limited enzyme contents, low enzyme activity, and a poor degradation of the substrates. The active compounds considered in the study were protected, and the contents reached a maximum under conditions that were usually not suitable for the fungal growth. The chemical structure was another important factor influencing the content and stability of the compounds. The content of procyanidins decreased dramatically because of its sensitivity to heat and alkaline environments. Antioxidant abilities of SBSR extracts, both aqueous and non-aqueous, increased after fermentation. These results reflected a possibility to recycle SBSR for further use in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sludge-based activated carbon (SAC) was prepared with sewage sludge and Chinese medicine herbal residues (CMHR's). An orthogonal experimental design method was used to determine the optimum preparation conditions. The effects of the impregnation ratio, activation temperature, activation time, and addition ratio of CMHR's on the iodine value and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area of activated carbon were studied. X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer, and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the prepared SAC. The results showed that the optimal process conditions for preparing the SAC were as follows: an impregnation ratio of 1:4, an activation time of 30 min, an activation temperature of 700 °C, and an addition ratio of CMHR's of 40%. The adsorption balance of the methylene blue dye was examined at room temperature. Adsorption isotherms were obtained by fitting the data using the Langmuir and Freundlich models, which showed that methylene blue adsorption was most suitable for the Langmuir equation. The results demonstrated that SAC prepared from SS and CMHR's from a Chinese medicine factory could effectively expel dyes from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present communication, the effect of positional density on the DC electrical conductivity of bamboo fibres was studied. A comparative study was made between the DC conductivity behavior of bamboo fibres taken from upper and lower portions of bamboo. Four samples from each portion going from centre to periphery were taken. Bamboo fibers taken from the upper portion were less dense, hence showing lower values of DC conductivity. In spite of the lower portion of bamboo being more dense, it showed higher values of DC conductivity, which is attributed to moisture content. Bamboo fibres from centre to periphery were taken from the strips cut at 2 mm distance from centre. The DC conductivity increased from centre to periphery. A theoretical model was developed and verified with the experimental results. It was also found that experimentally determined σdc values of bamboo fibres taken from different radial locations from center to periphery were in agreement with those values obtained from the proposed equation.

There is increasing demand for the production of biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass. Lignocellulosic biomass consists mainly of three polymeric components: cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin. The separation of these components requires an effective pretreatment process to ensure high quality glucose production, and is highly influenced by several factors, including moisture content, cellulose crystallinity, lignin content, and available surface area. Over time, numerous pretreatment methods have been utilized to change the lignocellulosic fiber structure and to enhance the enzymatic saccharification of cellulose to polysaccharides. This article reviews thermalbased pretreatment of lignocellulosic fiber used for glucose production. Based on the reviewed studies, autohydrolysis of lignocellusic biomass, followed by the "Instant pressure drop (DIC)," method can be regarded as an effective pretreatment process of lignocellusic biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]