Structural Analysis of Lignin-Based Furan Resin

The global “carbon emission peak” and “carbon neutrality” strategic goals promote us to replace current petroleum-based resin products with biomass-based resins. The use of technical lignins and hemicellulose-derived furfuryl alcohol in the production of biomass-based resins are among the most promising ways. Deep understanding of the resulting resin structure is a prerequisite for the optimization of biomass-based resins. Herein, a semiquantitative 2D HSQC NMR technique supplemented by the quantitative 31P NMR and methoxyl group wet chemistry analysis were employed for the structural elucidation of softwood kraft lignin-based furfuryl alcohol resin (LFA). The LFA was fractionated into water-insoluble (LFA-I) and soluble (LFA-S) parts. The analysis of methoxyl groups showed that the amount of lignin was 85 wt% and 44 wt% in LFA-I and LFA-S fractions, respectively. The HSQC spectra revealed the high diversity of linkages formed between lignin and poly FA (pFA). The HSQC and 31P results indicated the formation of new condensed structures, particularly at the 5-position of the aromatic ring. Esterification reactions between carboxyl groups of lignin and hydroxyl groups of pFA could also occur. Furthermore, it was suggested that lignin phenolic hydroxyl oxygen could attack an opened furan ring to form several aryl ethers structures. Therefore, the LFA resin was produced through crosslinking between lignin fragments and pFA chains.

Polybutadiene Vitrimers with Tunable Epoxy Ratios: Preparation and Properties

Traditional crosslinked diene rubber has excellent thermal–mechanical properties and solvent resistance, yet it is incapable of being recycled via universal molding or injecting. Vitrimers, a new class of covalently crosslinked polymer networks, can be topologically rearranged with the associative exchange mechanism, endowing them with thermoplasticity. Introducing the concept of vitrimers into crosslinked networks for the recycling of rubbers is currently an attractive research topic. However, designing tailored rubber vitrimers still remains a challenge. Herein, polybutadiene (PB) vitrimers with different structures were prepared via partial epoxidation of double bonds and ring-opening esterification reactions. Their mechanical and relaxation properties were investigated. It was found that the increasing crosslinking density can increase tensile strength and activation energy for altering the network topology. The influence of side-group effects on their relaxation properties shows that an increase in the number of epoxy groups on the polybutadiene chain can increase the chance of an effective exchange of disulfide units. This work provides a simple network design which can tune vitrimer properties via altering the crosslinking density and side-group effects.

Synthesis, Biological Activity, and In silico Study of Bioesters Derived from Bixin by the CALB Enzyme

Biocatalysis is a branch of biotechnology that aims at the chemical transformation of a compound by using enzymes of known specificity. There are already several studies that use combinations of organic origin and enzymes as catalysts. The enzymatic sources are diverse and can be found in microorganisms, animals, vegetables, or commercial (enzymes isolated). The enzyme Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB), of microbial origin, commercially available and with high catalytic activity, can perform esterification reactions, obtaining expressive results. These biocatalytic reactions can contribute to the development of energy products, such as biofuels and pharmaceuticals, such as cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. In this context, the present project aims to esterify with the enzyme Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB), a natural product known as bixin, a dye extracted from the pericarp of annatto seeds (Bixa orellana L.) to verify its biological properties and in silico evidence of its cholesteric activity.

Strategies for the Immobilization of Eversa® Transform 2.0 Lipase and Application for Phospholipid Synthesis

Eversa® Transform 2.0 lipase (ET2) is a recent lipase formulation derived from the Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase cultivated on Aspergillus oryzae and specially designed for biodiesel production. Since it has not been available for a long time, research on the efficiency of this enzyme in other applications remains unexplored. Moreover, even though it has been launched as a free enzyme, its immobilization may extend the scope of ET2 applications. This work explored ET2 immobilization on octadecyl methacrylate beads (IB-ADS-3) and proved the efficiency of the derivatives for esterification of glycerophosphocholine (GPC) with oleic acid in anhydrous systems. ET2 immobilized via interfacial activation on commercial hydrophobic support Immobead IB-ADS-3 showed maximum enzyme loading of 160 mg/g (enzyme/support) and great stability for GPC esterification under 30% butanone and solvent-free systems. For reusability, yields above 63% were achieved after six reaction cycles for GPC esterification. Considering the very high enzyme loading and the number of reuses achieved, these results suggest a potential application of this immobilized biocatalyst for esterification reactions in anhydrous media. This study is expected to encourage the exploration of other approaches for this enzyme, thereby opening up several new possibilities.

Trimetallic@Cyclodextrin Nanocomposite: Photocatalyst for Degradation of Amoxicillin and Catalyst for Esterification Reactions

The industry is looking for new materials which can respond to specific applications that exclusively advance materials can provide. In this context, nanoparticles and nanocomposites opened an interesting method for designing specific properties which can be modulated according to the requirements. The preparation of biomolecules supported trimetallic nanoparticles and some other derives is a good example of the complex systems that can be designed for getting exclusive properties. This study is based on the preparation of new cyclodextrin supported Fe/La/Zn trimetallic nanocomposite by the microemulsion technique. Photocatalytic degradation of amoxicillin was performed using cyclodextrin-Fe/La/Zn. 78% of amoxicillin photodegradation along 4 hours of photoirradiation was achieved. Finally, the catalytic nature of new material was explored for oxidation and esterification reactions. The present study revealed that this advanced multifunctional nanomaterial can be successfully employed for environmental remediation and catalytic activities.

Understanding the Biocatalytic Potential of Lipase from Rhizopus chinensis

Lipases occupy the third position in the world market for the sale of the most industrially used enzymes, being one of the most versatile and promising classes, highlighting the genus Rhizopus chinensis, which is exceptionally useful as biocatalysts for short-chain fatty acid esterification reactions with ethanol, biodiesel, and n-heptane when used directly in the solvent-free system and in potential critical applications. In this context, the present work presents the first complete general review of the lipases of the genus Rhizopus chinensis focusing on their industrial applications, in addition to the different immobilization techniques and the main reactions as biocatalysts, since these are an excellent alternative due to their advantages in economic accessibility and respect for the environment. In addition, they have high specificity catalytic activity for esterification and transesterification reactions in the presence or absence of organic solvents; they can also have great thermophilicity and moderate pressure resistance, with their catalytic behavior modulated by changes in these conditions. This review showed that Rhizopus chinensis lipase has ample potential for many other biotechnological applications with the appropriate chemical modifications and immobilization strategy.

Comparative Study on the Catalytic Performance of a 13X Zeolite and its Dealuminated Derivative for Biodiesel Production

Natural kaolin clay was used to successfully prepare 13X zeolite catalysts, which were modified by dealumination with citric acid. Acid leaching eliminates impurities and aluminum, and improves the Si/Al ratio of the zeolite framework. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of both the original and modified 13X zeolites were the same, indicating that the crystalline frameworks were not destroyed during the dealumination process. X-ray fluorescence data of the dealuminated 13X zeolite showed an improved Si/Al ratio. Also, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) was used for the characterization of the catalysts. The catalytic performance of the original and modified catalysts was tested in the esterification reaction of oleic acid in a batch reactor. A higher conversion of oleic acid was obtained using the modified 13X zeolite. The resulting experimental data from the esterification reactions were fitted to the heterogeneous Langmuir-Hinshelwood-Hougen-Watson (LHHW) kinetic model to determine the rates of reaction. The results of the reaction kinetics showed an increase in the rate of reaction velocity and a distinct decrease in the activation energy when using the modified zeolite, indicating that employing the modified catalyst will give a higher conversion over a shorter time through a reaction with less sensitivity to temperature. 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).