Flavin mononucleotide (biobased flavin), widely known as FMN, possesses intrinsic fluorescence characteristics. This study presents a sustainable approach for fabricating color-changing intensified light-emitting textiles using the natural compound FMN via digital printing technologies such as inkjet and chromojet. The FMN based ink formulation was prepared at 5 different concentrations using water and glycerol-based systems and printed on cotton duck white (CD), mercerized cotton (MC), and polyester (PET) textile woven samples. After characterizing the printing inks (viscosity and surface tension), the photophysical and physicochemical properties of the printed textiles were investigated using FTIR, UV/visible spectrophotometry, and fluorimetry. Furthermore, photodegradation properties were studied after irradiation under UV (370 nm) and visible (white) light. Two prominent absorption peaks were observed at around 370 nm and 450 nm on K/S spectral curves because of the functionalization of FMN on the textiles via digital printing along with the highest fluorescence intensities obtained for cotton textiles. Before light irradiation, the printed textiles exhibited greenish-yellow fluorescence at 535 nm for excitation at 370 nm. The fluorescence intensity varied as a function of the FMN concentration and the solvent system (water/glycerol). With 0.8 and 1% of FMN, the fluorescence of the printed textiles persisted even after prolonged light irradiation; however, the fluorescence color shifted from greenish-yellow color to turquoise blue then to white, with the fluorescence quantum efficiency values (φ) increasing from 0.1 to a value as high as 1. Photodegradation products of the FMN with varying fluorescence wavelengths and intensities would explain the results. Thus, a color-changing light-emitting fluorescent textile was obtained after prolonged light irradiation of textile samples printed using biobased flavin. Furthermore, multifunctional properties such as antibacterial properties against E. coli were observed only for the printed cotton textile while increased ultraviolet protection was observed for both cotton and polyester printed fabrics for the high concentration of FMN water-based and glycerol-based formulations. The evaluation of fluorescence properties using digital printing techniques aimed to provide more sustainable solutions, both in terms of minimum use of biobased dye and obtaining the maximum yield.
The effluent of biogas production plant was used for the pretreatment of rice straw for the improvement of ethanol production. In addition, the organic active ingredients of the effluent, i.e., acetic, butyric, lactic and propionic acids (1-4%), as well as water were employed for the pretreatment at 100 and 140 °C. The results indicated that pretreatment at 100 °C had no significant effect on the performance of subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis and ethanol production by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF). Among different types of organic acids presented in the effluent, lactic acid showed a better performance. The highest concentration of glucose and ethanol were achieved after 72 h enzymatic hydrolysis and SSF from the straw pretreated at 140 °C with 4% lactic acid. Applying the effluent for the straw pretreatment at 140 °C resulted in an increase in glucose and ethanol concentrations by 42.4 and 47.5%, respectively, compared to those from untreated samples. SEM, FTIR, BET, BJH, and compositional analyses were used to characterize the changes in the structure and composition of rice straw by the pretreatment. Changes in the straw swelling, cellulose crystallinity, pore size distribution, and composition were responsible for the acquired improvements.
In this study, a flexible multifunctional fibrous membrane for heterogeneous Fenton-like removal of organicand pathogenic contaminants from wastewater was developed by immobilizing zerovalent ironnanoparticles (Fe-NPs) on an amine/thiol grafted polyester membrane. Full characterization of theresulting polyester membranes allowed validation of successful grafting of amine/thiol (NH2 or SH)functional groups and immobilization of Fe-NPs (50–150 nm). The Fenton-like functionality of ironimmobilized fibrous membranes (PET–Fe, PET–Si–NH2–Fe, PET–NH2–Fe, and PET–SH–Fe) in thepresence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was comparatively studied in the removal of crystal violet dye(50 mg L1). The effect of pH, amount of iron and H2O2 concentration on dye removal wassystematically investigated. The highest dye removal yield reached 98.87% in 22 min at a rate constant0.1919 min1 (R2 ¼ 95.36) for PET–SH–Fe providing 78% toxicity reduction assessed by COD analysis.These membranes could be reused for up to seven repeated cycles. Kinetics and postulated mechanismof colour removal were proposed by examining the above results. In addition, the resultant membranesshowed substantial antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus epidermidis,Escherichia coli) strains studied through disc diffusion-zone inhibitory and optical density analysis. Thesefindings are of great importance because they provide a prospect of textile-based flexible catalysts inheterogeneous Fenton-like systems for environmental and green chemistry applications.
Health concerns as a result of harmful UV-rays drive the development of UV-sensors of different kinds. In this research, a UV-responsive smart textile is produced by inkjet printing and UV-LED curing of a specifically designed photochromic ink on PET fabric. This paper focuses on tuning and characterizing the colour performance of a photochromic dye embedded in a UV-curable ink resin. The influence of industrial fabrication parameters on the crosslinking density of the UV-resin and hence on the colour kinetics is investigated. A lower crosslinking density of the UV-resin increases the kinetic switching speed of the photochromic dye molecules upon isomerization. By introducing an extended kinetic model, which defines rate constants kcolouration, kdecayand kdecolouration, the colour performance of photochromic textiles can be predicted. Fabrication parameters present a flexible and fast alternative to polymer conjugation to control kinetics of photochromic dyes in a resin. In particular, industrial fabrication parameters during printing and curing of the photochromic ink are used to set the colour yield, colouration/decolouration rates and the durability, which are important characteristics towards the development of a UV-sensor for smart textile applications.