Abstract The carbon derived from the thermal treatment of modified phenolic resins (PR) tends to organize into graphitic lamellae or turbostratic carbon and is commonly considered non-graphitizable. In this study, nanocomposites were synthesized with modified phenolic resin (Novolac) used as the matrix and oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (NTox) in amounts ranging from 0.3 to 2.5 wt% as a filler. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), Raman spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with field emission gun (FEG), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were performed. By TGA, the PR-2.5 wt% nanocomposite showed less thermal degradation and higher stability when compared to the pure matrix after heat treatment up to 1000 °C. Graphitic carbon organization analysis by Raman spectroscopy, XRD, SEM/FEG, and TEM micrographs showed that the PR-2.5 wt% nanocomposite is suitable for technological applications, involving a carbon graphitization tendency.

ABSTRACT Piper aduncum found naturally in the Amazon and southeastern Brazil, is known for its secondary metabolites that have activity on insects. Anticarsia gemmatalis and Spodoptera frugiperda are among the major insect pests associated with agricultural production. This research evaluated the biological activity of hexane, ethyl acetate, and ethanol extracts of P. aduncum leaves on mortality and duration of larval and pupal periods, as well as weight, width, and length of A. gemmatalis and S. frugiperda pupae. The mortality of A. gemmatalis larvae in trials with P. aduncum extracts were 93.3% (hexane) and 90% (ethyl acetate), estimating LC50 of 6.35 and 5.79 mg/mL, respectively. Mortality in S. frugiperda submitted to the hexane extract ranged from 3.33% to 96.66% (LC50 of 8.22 mg/mL). The ethanol extract induced low mortality (3.33% to 23.33%). The P. aduncum extracts did not affect the development of S. frugiperda pupae. In A. gemmatalis differences in weight and length occurred. The chemical characterization was by GC-MS, which revealed that the major constituent in the hexane extract of P. aduncum was apiol (90.7%). P. aduncum extracts are important and promising components to manage A. gemmatalis and S. frugiperda, which cause extensive production losses.