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Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have been observed to exclusively eliminate dyes confined within their respective pores. In this investigation, the synthesis of a breathable MOF structure, MIL-88B(Fe), was pursued with the objective of circumventing restrictions on pore size to enhance its adsorption capabilities. The synthesis of MIL-88B(Fe) was carried out via the assisted solvothermal method at 373 K using inexpensive yet environmentally benign FeCl3·6H2O, 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid, and DMF as a metal precursor, linker, and solvent, respectively. Furthermore, the MOF was subjected to extensive analytical characterisation using XRD, FT-IR spectroscopy, N2 gas sorption, TGA, and SEM. The experimental data showed that the utilisation of MIL-88B(Fe) with a dose level of 5 mg for 180 min at a pH of 9 led to the highest levels of adsorption for both dyes, with 162.82 mg g−1 for methylene blue (MB) and 144.65 mg g−1 for rhodamine B (RhB), as a result of the contrast in the molecular size between each dye. The Langmuir and Freundlich models demonstrated a correlation with isotherms, while the thermodynamic analysis demonstrated that MIL-88B(Fe) exhibits distinct endothermic and breathable properties. The efficacy of MIL-88B(Fe) adsorbent for MB and RhB in aqueous solutions indicated exceptional performance, stability, and noteworthy reusability performance.

Conversion of delignified cellulose from rice husk biomass, and model compounds of cellobiose and glucose to levulinic acid (LA) over hierarchical Mn3O4/ZSM-5 catalyst was carried out using a household microwave method, and then compared to the established conventional thermos-reaction method. The hierarchical ZSM-5 was prepared using a double template method, aiming for micro and mesoporous systems developed in the structure. The as-prepared ZSM-5 were modified with Mn3O4 through incipient wetness impregnation with Mn2+ solution followed by calcination at 550 °C. The catalysts were characterized using various techniques such as powder XRD, SEM, BET, AAS, and FT-IR which indicated the hierarchical structure of MFI zeolite (Si/Al of 30–34) with Mn loading of 2.14 wt%. The conversion products were analyzed using HPLC, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR instruments. The microwave-assisted reaction using 600 W for 180 s using delignified cellulose, cellobiose, and glucose gave conversion of 37.27%, 46.35%, and 54.29%, respectively which is close to the conversion given by the conventional reaction carried out at 130 °C for 4 h (36.75%, 55.62%, and 60.9%, respectively). Interestingly, the LA yield from the microwave-assisted reaction (4.33%, 6.12%, and 9.57%) is higher than the yield from the conventional reaction, which only produced 5.2%, 4.88%, and 6.93% respectively. The microwave-assisted method is also shown to give less by-products compared to the thermochemical reaction. Therefore, it could be considered an alternative method for converting cellulose to LA.

Levulinic acid is a platform chemical. This compound can be derived from conversion cellulose in lignocellulosic biomass such as rice husk. Cellulose conversion to levulinic acid can be enhanced with the help of a catalyst. Hierarchical Mn3O4/ZSM-5 was used as a catalyst in this study, which was made by wet impregnation of ZSM-5 with Mn (II). Before the conversion reaction, rice husk was pretreated with various chemical and mechanical methods to increase the amount of cellulose. The chemical method used NaOH, while mechanical methods used variations of ball milling and ultrasonication in phosphoric acid. The pretreated rice husk was then converted to levulinic acid at 130°C for 10 h in H3PO4 40% and H2O2 30% using hierarchical Mn3O4/ZSM-5 as a catalyst. The highest levulinic acid yield of 11.70% was obtained from the delignification of rice husk. The product was then extracted to obtain pure levulinic acid via solvent extraction using xylene and ethyl acetate as the organic solvents. The GC-MS examination showed that ethyl acetate is the best solvent and esterification agent in separating the levulinic acid.

This work demonstrated the use of green material catalysts, produced from Sengon sawdust waste, to obtain nanocellulose biopolymers. The green material catalysts were utilized as catalysts support of TiO2−ZrO2 binary oxide in the form of nanocomposite materials with superior synergistic properties. The isolation of nanocellulose was achieved using a hydrolysis method with a yield of 63.40%. The TiO2 and ZrO2 nanoparticles have average particle sizes of around 25 and 15 nm, respectively, and the binary oxides of TiO2–ZrO2 pretained an average particle size of 30 nm were used. Furthermore, the nanocellulose combined with the TiO2−ZrO2 binary oxide had formed a cellulose/TiO2−ZrO2 nanocomposite with an average particle size of 30 nm. This indicates that the supporting nanocellulose can stabilize the nanoparticles and avoid aggregation. Moreover, the nanocomposites can be used as a catalyst for the conversion of glucose to 5-ethoxymethylfurfural (5-EMF). The catalytic activity increased with the nanoparticle effect obtained ZrO2, TiO2, TiO2-ZrO2, and cellulose and TiO2-ZrO2 nanocomposite, in 15.50%, 20.20%, 35.20%, and 45.50% yields, respectively. The best yield of 5-EMF was 45.50%, with reaction conditions of 1:1 TiO2–ZrO2 ratio, 4 h reaction time, and 160 °C reaction temperature. The use of nanocellulose biopolymer generated from Sengon sawdust waste in Indonesia provides a promising catalyst support material as an alternative green catalyst. In addition, the glucose carbohydrates can be converted to biofuel feedstocks in the development of a renewable alternative energy. Copyright © 2021 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

The main problem with the slurry process is the difficulty in recovering the photocatalyst nanoparticle from water following purification. An alternative solution proposed the photocatalyst be immobilized on magnetic carriers, which would allow them to be recollected from the water suspension following treatment using an external magnetic field. Magnetically photocatalyst composites were prepared using simple heteroagglomeration by applying attractive electrostatic forces between the nanoparticles with an opposite surface charge. The Fe3O4/SiO2/TiO2 photocatalysts were synthesized in an aqueous slurry solution containing Fe3O4/SiO2 and TiO2 nanoparticles under pH 5 conditions. Meanwhile, Fe3O4/SiO2 was prepared by a simple procedure via a coprecipitation of iron(II) and iron(III) ion mixtures in ammonium hydroxide and was leached by sodium silicate. The synthesized samples were investigated to determine the phase structure, the magnetic properties, and the morphology of the composites by X-ray diffraction (XRD), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. The results indicated that the composites contained anatase and rutile phases and exhibited a superparamagnetic behavior. Fe3O4/SiO2 particles, which were of the aggregation spherical form at 20 nm in size, were successfully attached onto the TiO2 surface. The catalytic activity of Fe3O4/SiO2/TiO2 composites was evaluated for the degradation of methylene blue under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. The presence of SiO2 as a barrier between Fe3O4 and TiO2 is not only improves the photocatalytic properties but also provides the ability to adsorb the properties on the composite. The Fe3O4/SiO2/TiO2 (50% containing TiO2 in composite) were able to eliminate 87.3% of methylene blue in water through the adsorption and photocatalytic processes. This result is slightly below pure TiO2, which is able to degrade 96% of methylene blue. The resulting Fe3O4/SiO2/TiO2 composite exhibited an excellent ability to remove dye from water and it is easily recollected using a magnetic bar from the water. Therefore, they have high potency as an efficient and simple implementation for the dye effluent decolorization of textile waste in slurry reactor processes.

Crystalline sodium Y (NaY) zeolite has been synthesized using alternative natural source of aluminate and silicate, extracted from natural Belitung kaolin. Prior to use, the natural kaolin was pretreated to obtain fragmented metakaolin and extracted silica. Synthesis was conducted with the addition of NaY gel (two types of NaY seeds were used, prepared from colloidal sillica or sodium silica water) using hydrothermal method for 21 h at 100 °C. The characterization on the as-synthesized zeolites confirmed that the one prepared using colloidal silica-seed has closer structure similarity to NaY zeolite that was synthesized using pro analysis silicate and aluminate sources. Thus, the rest of the synthesis of NaY was carried out using colloidal silica-NaY seed. The NaY zeolites then were converted to HY, through ammonium-exchange followed by calcination, to be tested as cracking catalysts using n-hexadecane as a probe molecule. It shows that HY from metakaolin and extracted silica gives high performance, i.e., n-hexadecane conversion of 58%−64%, also C5-C12 percentage yield and selectivity of 56%−62% and 98%. This work has shown the potential to utilize kaolin as alternative silicate aluminate sources for crystalline zeolite synthesis and to obtain inexpensive and environmentally friendly catalyst materials.

The need for biodegradable composites has increased for many applications in recent years. Cellulose acetate (CA) and cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) are relatively easy and cheap to fabricate, as well as relatively easy to decompose compared to other polymers. These materials are transparent and lightweight with low tensile properties. In this current study, the effect of Tapanuli clay addition on tensile and decomposition properties of CA and CA–CAB systems were investigated. Tapanuli organoclay was prepared by a cation exchange treatment using hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HDTMA-Br) surfactant to Na-bentonite. Prior to the treatment, the Tapanuli clay was subjected to purification from organic and carbonate compounds and to balance the cations by homogenizing them into Na ^+ . The basal spacing of Tapanuli clay increased from 1.52 nm up to 1.98 nm. CA and CA −5 wt% CAB composites were then synthesized using a solvent casting method. It was found that the addition of both 5 wt% CAB and 7 wt% organoclay in CA decreased the tensile strength and reduced the mass loss by 70%. After 45 days of the decomposition test, it was indicated that the presence of 5 wt% CAB in CA reduced the mass loss of the system by about 50%. These findings were con-firmed by the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images which showed different patterns of as-synthesized and decomposed materials. In conclusion, the presence of 1 wt% Tapanuli organoclay slightly increased the decomposed mass of CA film and enhanced the tensile strength of CA-co-CAB.