No abstract

In this study, a carboxymethyl chitosan derived from silkworm pupa (SP-carboxymethyl chitosan) was prepared. The physical characteristics of the SP chitin, chitosan, and carboxymethyl chitosan were analyzed. The scanning electron microscopy results showed that the surfaces of the samples from SP were more uneven, with more surface fractures compared with those of the reference substance (RS). Thermal analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis showed that the main molecular chain structures of SP samples and RSs had no substantial differences. However, the crystallinity and thermal decomposition temperature of the SP samples were lower compared with those of the RSs. All of these results provide a theoretical basis for the development of applications for the SP-carboxymethyl chitosan.

In2O3/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) nanocomposites containing different MWCNT contents were synthesized via direct growth of In2O3 nanoparticles on the functionalized MWCNTs. The nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results exhibited that In2O3 nanoparticles with a diameter of approximate 10 nm were densely decorated on the surface of the MWCNTs. The gas sensitive performance of the nanocomposites to ethanol was also investigated. It was found that In2O3/MWCNTs sensor showed much higher response than that of the pure In2O3 sensor. Moreover, the sensing mechanism was discussed.

An environmental friendly slow-release urea fertilizer with double films (SUFDF) was prepared by using dialdehyde starch urea resin (DASU) as inner coating and polylactic acid (PLA) as outer materials. The structural, chemical characteristics and morphology of the SUFDF were characterized by FTIR, element analysis and SEM. Its efficiency in slowing the nitrogen release was examined via soil leaching and pot experiments. The experimental results indicated that the introduction of hydrophobic PLA and DASU reduced the swell ability of the fertilizer, which made it can provide nitrogen persistently at the early farming. After the urea dissolved, the DASU in the fertilizer would continue to release nitrogen due to its good slow-release property. So this fertilizer would have potential applications in modern agriculture and horticulture.

An organic-inorganic hybrid compound, poly[bis[(pyridine-4-carboxylato)zinc(II)]-di-mu3-phosphato], [Zn2(C6H5NO2)2(HPO4)2], has been hydrothermally synthesized and structurally characterized. The crystal structure consists of two types of two-dimensional layers of zinc hydrogenphosphate templated by protonated isonicotinate (ina) (or 4-pyridinecarboxylic acid), which contain two crystallographically independent centrosymmetric [Zn2(ina)2(HPO4)2] dimers as basic building units. The layers are interconnected via hydrogen-bonding and heterocyclic ring interactions.