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There is an urgent requirement of replacing the environmentally hazardous petroleum‐based plastics with sustainable and efficient starch‐based bioplastics. Development and detailed characterization of the biodegradable bioplastics from plant‐based polysaccharides such as starch is essential to reduce plastic pollution in the environment. In this research, bioplastics were developed from an equivalent blend of starch from two different sources namely rice and potato (1:1, w/w), crosslinked with different concentrations of citric acid (CA). The effect of CA cross‐linking of starch‐based bioplastics was investigated on its physicochemical and functional properties. The X‐ray diffraction (XRD) spectra revealed that the synthesized bioplastics were amorphous in nature with broad diffraction peaks. Further, the peak at 1716 cm−1 in Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra indicated the formation of ester bonds in CA cross‐linked bioplastics. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed the surface roughness of the bioplastics decreased with increasing concentration of CA. Mechanical and thermal properties of bioplastics were characterized using universal testing machine, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively.

An atypical electrical behavior of WS2 nanosheets deposited on Cu electrodes is reported here. The characteristic Raman peaks at 355cm -1 and 421.8cm -1 confirm the few-layer structure of WS2. The addition of heavy metal ions of ~30µl on this platform results in non-ohmic behavior in I-V characteristics, accompanied by a dramatic rise of current from nA to µA. Additionally, this atypical behavior is found to be reversible. Subsequent to removal of these ions from the nanosheets, it again exhibits normal ohmic I-V characteristics. It is envisioned that this unusual characteristic will pave way for more research in the sensing direction as well as relevant fields.

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We comprehensively report here a green route for synthesizing graphene oxide from waste batteries. The satisfactory yield, formulated wholly through basic medium, is validated through confirmatory tests via X-ray Diffraction analysis, FTIR, UV-Vis and Raman Spectroscopy. The overall scheme turns out to be engaging less reactants as well as facile; thus converting a waste material to a useful product.