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By-products from the wax production process from carnauba palm (leaves), from the extraction of oil from macauba seeds (endocarp) and from pine nut production (shell) have been assessed for activated carbon production, using H3PO4 or CaCl2 for their chemical activation. The resulting activated charcoals have been thoroughly characterized by elemental and thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, electron scanning microscopy and N2 adsorption behavior. Subsequently, their adsorption capacity for the removal of rhodamine B (RhB) from aqueous solutions has been evaluated by studying different parameters: contact time, pH, adsorbent dose, initial dye concentration and solution temperature. The adsorption of RhB followed Freundlich's model in all cases. Kinetic studies indicate that the pseudo-second order model can be used for describing the dynamics of the adsorption process. Thermodynamic parameters have also been evaluated, indicating its endothermic and spontaneous nature. Finally, a preliminary analysis of the impact of cellulose content in the carbon precursor materials has been conducted, by using a mixture of native cellulose with one of the lignocellulosic materials.

Solution-processed near-infrared organic light-emitting diodes (NIR-OLEDs) with structure glass/indium–tin oxide/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonate)/Er-complex/Ca/Al based on a novel Er(III) complex, [Er(tfnb)3(bipy)] (Htfnb = 4,4,4-trifluoro-1-(2-naphthyl)-1,3-butanedione and bipy = 2,2′-bipyridine) have been manufactured and their properties have been studied. A complete quenching of the organic ligand visible emission is shown, and only the sensitized 1.5 μm electroluminesce from Er(III) results. From the electrical characteristic we present the mobility dependence on applied voltage using a numerical model, comparing it to poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene), a commercial semiconducting polymer with optical properties close to those of the molecular ligands. The synthesis of the novel complex together with a detailed analysis of its structure elucidated by XRD, 1H NMR, Raman, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopies is presented. A wide-ranging characterization of its photophysical properties in terms of absorption and steady and transient photoluminescence is used to investigate the energy-transfer process from the organic ligand to the central Er(III) ion.