Abstract: The effectiveness of the use of cellulose fibers as particulates/composite reinforcers involves the assessment of the crystallinity of such fibers. The aim of the present work is to provide information on the degree of crystallinity of the cellulose microfibers obtained from the stems of Cistus ladanifer and Erica arborea shrubs through two different methods, namely an alkaline treatment and a microwave-assisted deep eutectic solvent (DES) method. The crystallinity indexes (CrI) obtained from X-ray powder diffraction patterns indicated that higher CrI were attained for cellulose obtained from the DES treatment. Complementary information on the degree of crystallinity was also retrieved from attenuated total reflection- Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) vibrational spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs, and accessibility data for the DES-treated celluloses from the two species. The crystallinity results for the fibers derived from these two Mediterranean shrubs were within the range of the results for those derived from wood pulp, opening the door to their valorization for cellulose-derived packing applications or for their use as reinforcers in composite materials in combination with other biopolymers.

Resumen: La efectividad del uso de las fibras de celulosa como reforzantes en materiales particulados/compuestos requiere el estudio de la cristalinidad de dichas fibras. El objetivo del presente trabajo es proporcionar información sobre el grado de cristalinidad de las microfibras de celulosa obtenidas de los tallos de dos especies arbustivas, Cistus ladanifer y Erica arborea, a través de diversos métodos y en concreto, mediante tratamiento alcalino y uso de disolventes eutécticos profundos (DES) conjuntamente con la aplicación de microondas. Los índices de cristalinidad (CrI) obtenidos a partir de los patrones de difracción de rayos X en polvo indican que el CrI es más alto para la celulosa obtenida mediante el tratamiento con DES. También se aporta información complementaria sobre el grado de cristalinidad a partir de otras metodologías: espectro vibracional de espectroscopía infrarroja con transformada de Fourier por reflexión total atenuada (ATR-FTIR), micrografías obtenidas mediante microscopía electrónica de barrido (SEM) y medidas de accesibilidad para la celulosa obtenida por tratamiento con DES para ambas especies. Los resultados de cristalinidad para las fibras de estas dos especies arbustivas mediterráneas se encuentran dentro del rango de los resultados obtenidos para la pulpa de papel, por lo que es factible su valorización para aplicaciones de empaquetado o para su uso como reforzantes de materiales compuestos junto con otros biopolímeros.

Abstract: As a form of upgraded biomass characterized by its high energy density, low production costs, and low process energy requirements, wood pellets are an environmentally friendly fuel allowing for carbon neutral heating with high energy efficiency. In this work, the suitability of a valorization of the woods from the two most representative shrub species from the Iberian Peninsula (namely Cistus ladanifer and Erica arborea) for heating has been assessed. Whereas Erica arborea met the requirements of ISO 17225-2:2014 for ENplus-B class (the calorific content for both wood and bark was high and not significantly different, and the ash content was permissible for specimens with branch diameter ≥2,8 cm), Cistus ladanifer was in the limit of the normative and only met the requirements in terms of acceptable ash percentage (1,9%) and heating value (19 kJ·g-1) for old specimens with branch diameters >3,4 cm. Consequently, while the harvest of E. arborea for its use as fuel does not need to be selective, that of C. ladanifer should be limited to the most robust specimens and foliage should be avoided.

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different seed coatings consisting of various combinations of three nutrients (calcium, magnesium and silicon) on two soybean cultivars (BRS 243 RR and CD 233 RR). Dolomitic limestone and aluminum silicate were chosen as the nutrient sources. Leaf area, plant height, shoots dry matter, crop growth rate, relative growth rate and net assimilation rate were the studied variables, evincing that the seed coating that comprised calcium, magnesium and silicon led to better performance in terms of growth rates 30 days after emergence. Significant differences in the response to the seed coatings were also observed between the two studied soybean genotypes.

An uranyl complex [UO2(TFA)2(DMSO)3] (TFA=deprotonated trifluoroacetic acid; DMSO=dimethyl sulfoxide) has been successfully synthesized by reacting UO2(CH3COO)2·H2O with one equivalent of (CF3CO)2O and DMSO. The complex has been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, X-ray powder diffraction, elemental analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy, thermal analysis and absorption and emission spectroscopies. The spectroscopic properties of the material make it suitable for its application in the sensing and monitoring of uranyl in the PUREX process.

Low temperature is the most important factor limiting the distribution of plants. In this study the low temperature thermal behavior of calafate seeds was analyzed by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and a vibrational characterization of their different components was conducted by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). In cold-acclimated plants, such as calafate, the total percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids in their seeds is significantly higher than that of saturated fatty acids. Successive freezing-thawing cycles lead to increased formation of linoleic (LA) and linolenic (LNA) α-crystals. This process would barely modify the phase-transition temperature of the lipid membrane but would lead to an increase in the membrane fluidity (LNA would make the cell membranes more fluid during seed development). It seems that processes in membranes rather than in the glassy cytoplasm may determine the cooling resistance.

La baja temperatura es el factor limitante más importante cuando se analiza la distribución de las plantas. En este artículo el comportamiento térmico a baja temperatura de las semillas de Berberis buxifolia ha sido estudiado por calorimetría diferencial de barrido y la caracterización de sus diversos componentes ha sido llevada a cabo por espectroscopía infrarroja con transformada de Fourier (FTIR). En plantas aclimatadas al frío, tales como Berberis buxifolia, el porcentaje total de ácidos grasos poliinsaturados en sus semillas es significativamente mayor que el de los ácidos grasos saturados, y sucesivos ciclos de congelación y descongelación conducen a un aumento de la formación de cristales α de linoleico (LA) y linolénico (LNA). Este proceso apenas modificaría la temperatura de transición de fase de la membrana lipídica pero conduciría a un aumento de la fluidez de la misma (el LNA haría las membranas celulares más fluidas durante el desarrollo de las semillas). Es altamente probable que los procesos que tienen lugar en las membranas -en vez de en el citoplasma vítreo- sean los determinantes de la resistencia al frío.