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BACKGROUND: Rice bran, a by‐product of rice processing, has not been fully utilized except for the small amount used for raising animals. The raw material source requirements of microcrystalline cellulose are becoming increasingly extensive. However, the characteristics of preparing microcrystalline cellulose from rice bran have not been reported, which limits the application of rice bran. RESULTS: Microcrystalline cellulose was obtained from rice bran by alkali treatment, delignification, bleaching and acid hydrolysis. The morphology, particle size distribution, degree of polymerization, crystallinity, and thermal stability of rice bran microcrystalline cellulose were analyzed. The chemical compositions, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier‐transform infrared analysis for rice bran microcrystalline cellulose showed that the lignin and hemicellulose were successfully removed from the rice bran fiber matrix. The morphology of rice bran microcrystalline cellulose was shown to be of a short rod‐shaped porous structure with an average diameter of 65.3 μm. The polymerization degree of rice bran microcrystalline cellulose was 150. The X‐ray diffraction pattern of rice bran microcrystalline cellulose showed the characteristic peak of natural cellulose (type I), and its crystallization index was 71%. The rice bran microcrystalline cellulose may be used in biological composites with temperatures between 150 °C and 250 °C. CONCLUSION: These results suggest the feasibility of using rice bran as a low‐price source of microcrystalline cellulose. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the rapid advancement of self‐powered wearable electronic devices has propelled the research focus toward flexible electrodes for single electrode triboelectric nanogenerators (STENG). However, there is currently a lack of reported methods for large‐scale preparation and high‐efficiency molding of these flexible electrodes. In this study, PBAT‐co‐PEG/NaSCN blends‐based ionic conductive thermoplastic elastomer (ICTE) are successfully prepared by initially conducting melt transesterification, followed by melt blending. The STENG, featuring an ICTE electrode, exhibited a remarkable open‐circuit voltage of 50 V, short‐circuit current of 460 nA and charge transfer of 16 nC. With the aid of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), the conduction mechanism of ICTE is elucidated. Due to good fluidity and processing performance, bars of ICTE suitable for mechanical properties test could be conveniently prepared via injection molding, which demonstrates the tensile strength and elongation, 13 MPa and 2500%, respectively. A 4 × 4 cm2 STENG fabricated with ICTE electrode could not only have good energy‐harvesting performance but also could be used in a sensor to sense the motion detection. The ICTE, with its simple and environmentally friendly preparation process and high‐efficiency molding, exhibits a promising prospect in the large‐scale preparation and application of flexible STENG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The New Zealand government has used public health ordinances to impose restrictions on immigration, movement and social gatherings for managing the pandemic. Yet, this response led to unintended consequences, in particular the stigmatisation of some communities and professions as being 'diseased'. Such discourse ran contrary to the government's own, and very public assertions, that New Zealand was a 'team of five million' who should 'be kind' to each other. Here, we position stigma as a form of slow violence, which during the pandemic has exploited existing cracks in social cohesion. We then employ an ethics of care approach to suggest some practical responses to healing the rifts created by COVID‐19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]