a b s t r a c tIn this study, sub and supercritical CO 2 are used as effective solvents to impregnate hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) into cellulose acetate (CA) non-woven mats. As much as 25 wt% H 2 O 2 can be impregnated at operating conditions of 25-45 • C and 1200 psig. Thermal gravimetric analysis shows that H 2 O 2 -loaded CA mats lose more than 60% of available H 2 O 2 when quickly heated to 37 • C and held at this temperature for 60 min. However, in comparison, pure H 2 O 2 -H 2 O (50:50 w/w) solution evaporates 100% within 15 min at this same temperature. Shelf-life studies show that H 2 O 2 -loaded CA mats lose ∼50% and ∼100% of available H 2 O 2 in 30 days, when stored at 2-8 • C and 20-23 • C, respectively. H 2 O 2 slowly diffuses and subsequently evaporates from the CA mat at a rate determined by the diffusion of H 2 O 2 through the CA fibers. We envision applying a thin polymer coating to the CA mat to suppress diffusional losses of H 2 O 2 , thus leading to an increased product shelf-life. These mats should find use as bandages for the continuous delivery of O 2 for advanced wound care. In vitro studies presented here demonstrate that the developed bandages produce O 2 at a controlled rate for 24 h.

Bio-based adhesives and resins are sought as alternatives to synthetics in order to fabricate all-biobased composite wood panels (CWPs), which provide environmentally friendly building products for indoor use. Very little information exists as to how these bio-based CWPs would perform long-term in non-temperature controlled structures such as warehouses and storage units where extreme temperatures occur depending on the season. In this study, novel all-bio-based CWPs were fabricated using a matrix of 50% distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and 50% soybean flour ProsanteTM (PRO) mixed with wood particles. Bio-based CWPs were subjected to accelerated thermal aging for a 10-year period resembling outdoor temperatures in Peoria, IL USA. Four seasonal periods (Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall) were simulated varying from −26–40 °C and 36–76% relative humidity (RH). The bio-based adhesive employed consisted of 50% distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and 50% soybean flour ProsanteTM (PRO). CWPs consisted of 15 or 50% DDGS/PRO with 85% or 50% pine wood. CWPs were evaluated for 5, 7.5, and 10-years for their physical, flexural, dimensional stability, surface roughness, FTIR, TGA, and spectral properties. The changes in the CWP properties were notable during the initial 5 years, and later aged samples showed less change.