The effect of nanoclay contents on the physical and mechanical properties of bagasse flour/ reprocessed high density polyethylene (rHDPE)/ nanoclay composites was investigated. The bagasse flour content was constant at 50%, the maleic anhydride content was constant at 3%, and the nanoclay (Cloisite 30B) content was set at three different levels: 0%, 2%, and 4%. The materials were mixed in a co-rotating twin-screw extruder; afterwards, the specimens were fabricated using an injection molding method. The water absorption and mechanical properties, such as flexural and tensile strength, flexural and tensile modulus, and notched impact strength, were measured. The nanoclay dispersion was examined by X-ray diffraction. The results indicated that tensile and flexural modulus increased with an increase in nanoclay content. Also By increasing the nanoclay content at 2 wt.%, the tensile and flexural strengths of the composite were increased. However, the addition of 4 wt.% nanoclay resulted in reductions of these properties. Water absorption decreased with increasing nanoclay content. The structural examination of the bagasse polymer composite with X-ray diffraction showed that the nanoclay was distributed as an intercalated structure in the polymer matrix, and the d-spacing of layers decreased with increasing nanoclay content. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that 2% nanoclay samples with lower and more uniform pores compared at 4% nanoclay samples, respectively.

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Two-dimensional nanomaterials are emerging as promising candidates for a wide range of biomedical applications including tissue engineering, biosensing, pathogen incapacitation, wound healing, and gene and drug delivery. Graphene, due to its high surface area, photothermal property, high loading capacity, and efficient cellular uptake, is at the forefront of these materials and plays a key role in this multidisciplinary research field. Poor water dispersibility and low functionality of graphene, however, hamper its hybridization into new nanostructures for future nanomedicine. Functionalization of graphene, either by covalent or non-covalent methods, is the most useful strategy to improve its dispersion in water and functionality as well as processability into new materials and devices. In this review, recent advances in functionalization of graphene derivatives by different (macro)molecules for future biomedical applications are reported and explained. In particular, hydrophilic functionalization of graphene and graphene oxide (GO) to improve their water dispersibility and physicochemical properties is discussed. We have focused on the anticancer drug delivery of polyfunctional graphene sheets.

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This study investigated optical and strength properties of light-weight coated (LWC) printing paper. Two different pigments, namely nanoclay and precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) with rhombohedral particle shape, were used with acrylic styrene latex to coat base paper using a blade method. Strength properties such as: tensile, burst, and tear indices, stiffness and optical properties including brightness, yellowness, and opacity were measured. Surface topography was studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Comparison between the coated paper and the control sample demonstrated that surface of the paper coated with nanoclay was more uniform than the paper coated with PCC. Although there were no significant differences in terms of the strength of these paper samples, burst and tear strength were enhanced by up to 10 and 16% in some or all treatments, respectively. There was a slight increase in paper opacity with PCC because it has a narrower particle size distribution in comparison with that of nanoclay. Yellowness of the papers treated with nanoclay was degraded about 20% as compared to the control sample, while some small differences were also noticed in brightness and opacity of the papers.