Journal of Materials Science Research and Reviews

Conversion of Mango Wood Sawdust into Biochar: Preparation & Structural Characterization

Tue, 26 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Effective and affordable methods for removing heavy metals (HMs) are urgently required, as these contaminants pose significant risks to both human health and the environment. Adsorption has emerged as a highly promising therapeutic technique in recent years due to the difficulty of biodegrading and transforming heavy metals. Due to its wide range of potential applications, biochar (BC), a sustainable and inexpensive adsorbent substance made from agricultural waste, has recently garnered a lot of research interest. Mango wood sawdust was converted into biochar utilizing the pyrolysis process in an oxygen-limited environment. The pyrolysis process was carried out until the temperature reached 600 degrees Celsius while the heating rate was kept at 5 degrees Celsius per minute. While XRD analysis shows a broad diffraction peak around 26 degrees (2 theta), indicating the presence of amorphous carbon with partially ordered graphite structures with 3.34865 A⁰ d-spacing. SEM analysis clearly shows highly porous sites that increase surface area, attachment sites, and water retention capacity as well as increase adsorption of heavy metals and increase cation exchange capacity. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) method showed peak position between 600 and 800 nm indicates that most biochar is of a comparable size, carefully regulated synthesis conditions with the average particle size about 700 nm. This work helps to sustainable waste management and environmental protection by highlighting the efficient use of agricultural waste to create value-added carbon products. In order to determine its true effectiveness, future research will employ this biochar in real-world water treatment procedures across a range of industries. Future research will also examine the prepared biochar's recyclable and reusable qualities.

Eco-Friendly Carbon Dots Derived from Non-lignin Cellulose of Borassus aethiopum for Corrosion Mitigation of Mild Steel in Hydrochloric Acid

Izuchukwu O. Madu, Joseph T. Nwabanne, Iheoma C. Nwuzor — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study investigated the synthesis, characterization, and corrosion inhibition performance of non-lignin-containing cellulose-based carbon dots (NLC-CDs) derived from African fan palm (Borassus aethiopum) for mild steel protection in 1 M HCl solution. Non-lignin-containing cellulose was extracted from African fan palm fibers through alkaline treatment and subsequently converted into carbon dots using a hydrothermal method at 160 °C for 12 h. The synthesized NLC-CDs were characterized using UV–Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, TEM, and scanning probe microscopy analyses. UV–Vis analysis revealed characteristic absorption peaks associated with π–π* and n–π* transitions, while FTIR confirmed the presence of oxygen-containing functional groups responsible for adsorption behavior. TEM results showed uniformly dispersed spherical nanoparticles with an average particle size of approximately 7.45 nm. Corrosion inhibition performance was evaluated using weight loss and electrochemical techniques. The results demonstrated that inhibition efficiency increased with inhibitor concentration, reaching a maximum efficiency above 90% at 200 mg/L. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed increased charge transfer resistance and reduced double-layer capacitance in the presence of NLC-CDs, confirming the formation of a protective adsorbed film on the mild steel surface. SEM, EDS, and AFM surface analyses further verified reduced surface deterioration and smoother morphologies for inhibited samples. Adsorption studies followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm, indicating monolayer adsorption behavior. The findings establish NLC-CDs from Borassus aethiopum as an eco-friendly, effective, and sustainable green corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in acidic environments.

Evaluation of the Proximate Composition of Date Fruit (Phoenix dactylifera L.) and Its Potential Health Benefits

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Date fruit (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is a nutritionally important crop consumed widely in arid and semi-arid regions, where it contributes to energy intake and food security. Processing date fruit into powder may improve handling, storage stability and its suitability for use as a natural sweetening ingredient. This study evaluated the proximate composition of laboratory-processed Phoenix dactylifera L. powder and considered its potential nutritional relevance based on the measured composition. Fully ripened date fruits at the Tamr stage were cleaned, deseeded, dried in a hot-air oven at 60–70°C, milled and sieved to obtain a uniform powder. Moisture, ash, crude protein, crude fat and crude fibre were determined using standard analytical procedures, while total carbohydrate was estimated by difference. Analyses were conducted in triplicate, and results were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. The powder contained total carbohydrate as the predominant component (69.42 ± 4.48%), followed by crude fat (14.85 ± 6.25%), moisture (11.04 ± 1.14%), ash (2.49 ± 0.01%), crude fibre (2.03 ± 2.11%) and crude protein (0.17 ± 0.06%). The proximate fractions differed significantly (p < 0.05), with carbohydrate being approximately six to ten times higher than the other measured nutrients. The relatively low moisture content suggests improved storage stability, while the ash fraction indicates the presence of inorganic mineral constituents. The high carbohydrate level confirms that date fruit powder is an energy-rich material with potential use in food formulation and as a natural sweetening ingredient. However, health-related implications remain inferential because individual minerals, bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity and direct physiological effects were not experimentally assessed in this study.

Recycled Jeans/Denim Cotton Fibre as a Bio-based Material for Paperboard Handsheets: Laboratory Evaluation

Klaus Dölle — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Fabric fibres have been used in paper production for more than 2,000 years. With industrialisation, wood-based fibres largely replaced textile fibres in paper products and packaging grades. Environmental concerns about plastic bags have renewed interest in paper-based and bio-based alternatives.
Renewed interest in natural fibre materials for paper and board applications requires evaluation of sustainable fibre sources within current industrial processes.
In this study, jeans/denim fibre (JDF) was produced from collected 100% cotton jeans trousers cut into 1.0 inch x 1.0 inch (25.4 mm x 25.4 mm) pieces before refining. Handsheets were prepared using JDF and old corrugated container (OCC) fibres.
Handsheets with a target basis weight of 70 g/m² were produced from blends ranging from 100% OCC to 100% JDF in 10% increments and evaluated for mechanical, surface and optical properties.
The handsheets showed opacity values close to 100% and changed from brown to blue as OCC content decreased and JDF content increased.
Higher OCC content was associated with greater air resistance, indicating a more compact sheet structure.
Handsheets containing 100% to 40% OCC generally showed higher strength performance, including short compression strength index, burst index, tear index, zero-span strength and tensile strength. JDF contents above 50% reduced mechanical properties.
The results indicate that JDF may be suitable as a partial fibre component in paperboard handsheets, but high JDF fractions reduce mechanical integrity.
Further laboratory and pilot-scale research is required to optimise fibre processing, sheet formation and strength development before industrial paperboard application.

Design of a Drilling Mud Agitator System for Small-scale Petroleum Operations

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Drilling mud agitation is a critical process in oil and gas drilling operations; inadequate agitation leads to solid particle settlement, inconsistent mud density, and degraded rheological properties that increase non-productive time (NPT) and operational safety hazards. This study presents the complete analytical design of a mechanically agitated drilling mud system comprising an 83-litre cylindrical tank and a discharge pump, sized for a process fluid of density 1,200 kg/m³ and dynamic viscosity 0.10 Pa·s. The design was executed using standard engineering equations for impeller geometry, power consumption, shaft torque, shaft sizing, motor selection, pump hydraulics, and mixing time estimation. A two-blade pitched-blade turbine (PBT) with an impeller-to-tank diameter ratio of 0.40 was selected, consistent with the CAD model and the fabricated prototype. The design yielded an impeller diameter of 182.9 mm rotating at 1,148.6 rpm, a Reynolds number of 7,684, a shaft power of 516.8 W, a shaft torque of 4.30 N·m, a rated agitator motor power of 0.75 kW, and a mixing time of 7.12 seconds. The pump system was redesigned with a 76.2 mm (3-inch) discharge pipe diameter, yielding a pipe velocity of 1.82 m/s, a total dynamic head of 2.14 m, and a rated pump motor power of 0.75 kW—demonstrating the significant hydraulic advantage of adequate pipe sizing. Parametric sensitivity analyses confirm that tip speed governs power cubically, impeller diameter governs power quadratically at fixed tip speed (and to the fifth power at fixed rotational speed), and mixing time is linearly proportional to tank volume. A prototype of the agitator was fabricated and mechanically operated to confirm assembly feasibility; the analytical results were compared with published mixing and agitation literature and provide a scalable design framework for small-scale petroleum engineering applications.

Cation-Substitution-Driven Optoelectronic and Magnetic Tuning in NiₓMn₁₋ₓFe₂O₄ Spinel Ferrite Nanoparticles Synthesized by Co-precipitation

Bhabataran Bhakat, Manoranjan Bar — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Spinel ferrite nanoparticles are oxides whose structural, optical and magnetic responses can be tuned through cation substitution. This study aimed to evaluate how Ni substitution modifies the structure–property coupling of manganese ferrite nanoparticles with compositions of NiₓMn₁₋ₓFe₂O₄ (x = 0.0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0). The nanoparticles were synthesised by alkaline co-precipitation, calcined at 700 °C and examined using structural, morphological, compositional, optical, photoluminescent and magnetic analyses. X-ray diffraction confirmed cubic spinel ferrite formation, with crystallite sizes of 18.59–30.44 nm. Ni incorporation contracted the lattice parameter from 8.3417 to 8.3103 Å and increased the X-ray density from 5.278 to 5.425 g cm⁻³, consistent with Mn replacement by Ni and increased formula mass. FTIR spectra showed metal–oxygen bands, with the tetrahedral band shifting from 520 to 553 cm⁻¹, supporting spinel bond rearrangement. SEM showed agglomerated quasi-spherical nanoparticles of 51–66 nm, whereas EDX confirmed cation-normalised compositions close to target stoichiometry. UV–visible analysis indicated tunable optical behaviour, with direct band gaps of 2.07–2.69 eV and Urbach energies of 0.189–0.643 eV. PL spectra displayed near-UV/blue emission at 377.0–383.5 nm and defect-related emission near 566–574 nm; Ni substitution quenched the main PL intensity, indicating modified recombination kinetics. VSM analysis revealed ferrimagnetic soft-magnetic behaviour, with saturation magnetisation increasing from 0.0073 to 0.7723 emu, whereas coercivity decreased sharply in intermediate compositions. Integrated analysis identified NiFe₂O₄ as the most magnetically robust composition and x = 0.7 as balanced, with high optical conductivity, defect activity and soft magnetic response. Thus, Ni substitution tunes Mn ferrite nanoparticles for optoelectronic, photocatalytic, sensing and magnetic applications.

Reinforcement of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Waste Polymer Using CaO Nanoparticles Synthesized from Periwinkle Shell for Car Bumper Application

K. K. Ugwuagbo, E. Osarolube, J. A. Amusan — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study investigated the reinforcement of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with calcium oxide (CaO) nanoparticles synthesised from periwinkle shells for potential car-bumper applications. The shells were washed, dried, milled, calcined at 1000 °C, and sieved, while the CaO nanoparticles were prepared using maceration method. The synthesised nanoparticles were characterised to determine their structural and compositional properties. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of Ca–O, carbonate, and hydroxyl groups. Particle-size analysis indicated a Z-average diameter of 37.12 nm. X-ray fluorescence analysis showed that the particles consisted mainly of 83.637 wt.% CaO and 7.166 wt.% MgO. The nanoparticles were incorporated into molten waste PET at different proportions to produce samples S1–S5, with sisal fibres added as reinforcement. The mechanical properties of the resulting composites were evaluated and compared with those of a commercial car-bumper sample designated Control 2. Samples S1 and S3 showed the most promising performance. Sample S1 recorded a hardness of 60.67 Shore D and an impact strength of 0.0028 J/mm, whereas Control 2 recorded 63.67 Shore D and 0.0003 J/mm, respectively. Sample S1 also exhibited a higher tensile strength than Control 2, although its flexural strength was lower. The findings indicate that the composites may have potential for car-bumper and other automotive applications if their flexural performance is improved.

Comparative Performance of Rice Husk Ash and Palm Oil Fuel Ash in Metakaolin Geopolymers

Maria Kaka Etete Enoh, Friday Aje Ovat — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The growing demand for sustainable construction materials and effective waste valorisation has stimulated interest in the utilisation of agricultural wastes as partial substitutes for aluminosilicate precursors in geopolymer production. Despite growing interest in biomass ashes for geopolymer synthesis, direct comparisons of rice husk ash (RHA) and palm oil fuel ash (POFA) under identical metakaolin-based geopolymer conditions remain limited. This study investigated the influence of POFA and RHA on the physical and mechanical properties of metakaolin-based geopolymers. Geopolymer specimens containing 0–30 wt.% POFA or RHA were synthesised using a 10 M sodium hydroxide solution, a sodium silicate-to-sodium hydroxide ratio of 1, and an activator-to-binder (liquid-to-solid) ratio of 0.80, followed by ambient curing at 25 ± 3 °C for 28 days. The materials were characterised using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, while density, water absorption, and compressive and flexural strengths were evaluated. The characterisation results revealed that RHA was predominantly composed of amorphous silica, whereas POFA contained a higher calcium concentration and a greater proportion of crystalline phases. Increasing the biomass ash content reduced the density and increased the water absorption of the geopolymer composites. However, moderate biomass ash incorporation enhanced mechanical performance. Maximum compressive strengths of 23.83 MPa and 23.90 MPa were achieved at 20 wt.% POFA and 15 wt.% RHA, respectively, while peak flexural strengths of 5.71 MPa and 5.51 MPa were obtained at 15 wt.% replacement. Further increases in biomass ash content resulted in a gradual reduction in strength. Overall, both POFA and RHA demonstrated comparable potential as sustainable reinforcement materials for metakaolin-based geopolymer composites, with an optimum replacement range of 15–20 wt.%, providing an effective balance between physical and mechanical performance. The findings demonstrate the potential for utilising locally available agricultural wastes to develop lower-carbon geopolymer binders for sustainable construction applications.

Biogenic Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles: Advances in Green Synthesis, Characterization, and Agricultural Applications

Rajesh Chavan, Ranjeet Bhadange — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Biogenic zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) have attracted increasing attention as sustainable nanomaterials for agricultural applications because zinc is an essential micronutrient and nanoscale delivery may improve nutrient availability. This review examines advances in the green synthesis, characterisation and agricultural use of ZnO-NPs derived from plants, bacteria, fungi and agricultural wastes. It also summarises major analytical approaches used to confirm nanoparticle formation and properties, including UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and particle size analysis. The reviewed evidence indicates that biogenic ZnO-NPs can support seed germination, seedling vigour, plant growth, nutrient uptake, photosynthetic performance and tolerance to abiotic stresses when applied under suitable experimental conditions. Their antimicrobial and photocatalytic properties also suggest potential roles in disease management and environmental remediation. However, responses vary according to biological source, synthesis conditions, particle size, dose, crop species and application method. The review further identifies standardisation, scalability, environmental persistence and risk assessment as key challenges for translating experimental findings into safe agricultural practice. Overall, the article highlights the relevance of biogenic ZnO-NPs to nanofertiliser development and precision agriculture while emphasising the need for standardised synthesis protocols, reproducible characterisation, long-term field evaluation and biosafety assessment before wide agricultural adoption.

Technological Transitions and Thermodynamic Optimisation in Steam Methane Reforming for Sustainable Hydrogen Production: A Critical Review of Catalyst Deactivation, Process Intensification and Carbon Capture Integration

Saidu Hassan Musa, Umar Aliyu Ahmed, Ishiyaku Ibrahim Babayola — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Steam methane reforming remains the dominant industrial route to hydrogen, and its future depends on whether the process can be reconciled with deep decarbonisation objectives. This review critically examines three research streams that have developed largely in isolation from one another: the thermodynamic and kinetic constraints that govern conventional reforming, the deactivation behaviour of nickel-based reforming catalysts, and the competing intensification and carbon capture architectures proposed to reduce emissions. Literature published between 1984 and May 2026 was identified through structured searching of openly accessible scholarly metadata indexes and appraised for methodological adequacy, evidential strength and internal consistency. The synthesis indicates that the thermodynamic penalties of conventional reforming are well characterised, and that the principal deactivation mechanisms of carbon formation, nickel sintering and sulphur chemisorption are mechanistically understood at the level of model systems. Translation of that understanding into predicted industrial catalyst lifetimes is considerably weaker, because most formulation studies report short isothermal tests conducted under conditions that differ substantially from reformer tube environments. Intensified configurations, including sorption-enhanced reforming, membrane and membrane-assisted reactors, chemical looping and gas switching schemes, and electrified reforming, each relax a specific equilibrium or heat transfer constraint, yet the supporting evidence is dominated by simulation and short-duration laboratory demonstration. Sorbent capacity decay, membrane durability under realistic feed impurities and oxygen carrier attrition remain the principal barriers, and each is inconsistently reported. Studies of carbon capture integration converge on the finding that capture from the shifted syngas is less costly than capture from reformer flue gas but cannot by itself deliver very high overall capture rates. Life cycle assessments diverge sharply, and the divergence originates in assumptions about upstream methane emissions and system boundaries rather than in the underlying process models. Research priorities identified include standardised long-duration testing protocols, transparent reporting of degradation trajectories, and life cycle studies grounded in measurement-based methane emission factors.