Egor M. Novikov

This study analyzes the effect of artificial aging on the mechanical deformational and optical properties of various paper samples, which allows us to evaluate their durability and suitability for long-term storage. The methods of accelerated aging, measuring the breaking length, specific resistance, elongation, and fracture strength, were used, and the optical characteristics were estimated by the R₄₅₇ and CIE whiteness indices, as well as opacity. Mechanical measurements (breaking length, specific resistance, elongation, and fracture strength) revealed that bleaching reduces residual lignin and strengthens interfiber bonds, boosting pine pulp strength by up to 8%. Optical properties initially improve slightly, then increase sharply after the second bleaching cycle and stabilize, while opacity decreases, providing greater light transmittance. After accelerated aging, the following deterioration is observed: for bleached samples, R₄₅₇ whiteness changes; and for unbleached samples, CIE whiteness and opacity increase. After aging, aspen pulps and kraft papers retained over 90% of their initial strength and whiteness, whereas untreated and office papers lost up to 20–25%. These findings identify that aspen-based and kraft papers demonstrate better mechanical deformational and optical properties, which makes it possible to predict the operational characteristics of paper depending on the processing and aging methods used.

The research investigates the thermal behavior of mixed systems based on natural and artificial cellulose fibers used as precursors for carbon nonwoven materials. Flax and hemp fibers were employed as natural components; they were first chemically treated to remove impurities and enriched with alpha-cellulose. The structure, chemical composition, and mechanical properties of both natural and viscose fibers were studied. It was shown that fiber properties depend on the fiber production process history; natural fibers are characterized by a high content of impurities and exhibit high strength characteristics, whereas viscose fibers have greater deformation properties. The thermal behavior of blended compositions was investigated using TGA and DSC methods across a wide range of component ratios. Carbon yield values at 1000 °C were found to be lower for blended systems containing 10–40% by weight of bast fibers, with carbon yield increasing as the quantity of natural fibers increased. Thus, the composition of the cellulose composite affects carbon yield and thermal processes in the system. Using the Kissinger method, data were obtained on the value of the activation energy of thermal decomposition for various cellulose and composite systems. It was found that natural fiber systems have three-times higher activation energy than viscose fiber systems, indicating their greater thermal stability. Blends of natural and artificial fibers combine the benefits of both precursors, enabling the deliberate regulation of thermal behavior and carbon material yield. This approach opens up prospects for the creation of functional carbon materials used in various high-tech areas, including thermal insulation.

This work presents a general strategy for integrating photoresponsive molecules into liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) using Diels–Alder chemistry. The method introduces various photochromes, offering a scalable route for multifunctional LCEs.

This study focuses on the development of environmentally sustainable polypropylene (PP)-based composites with the potential for biodegradability by incorporating cellulose and the oligomeric siloxane ES-40. Targeting industrial applications such as fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing, ES-40 was employed as a precursor for the in situ formation of silica particles via hydrolytic polycondensation (HPC). Two HPC approaches were investigated: a preliminary reaction in a mixture of cellulose, ethanol, and water, and a direct reaction within the molten PP matrix. The composites were thoroughly characterized using rotational rheometry, optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and dynamic mechanical analysis. Both methods resulted in composites with markedly reduced crystallinity and shrinkage compared to neat PP, with the lowest shrinkage observed in blends prepared directly in the extruder. The inclusion of cellulose not only enhances the environmental profile of these composites but also paves the way for the development of PP materials with improved biodegradability, highlighting the potential of this technique for fabricating more amorphous composites from crystalline or semi-crystalline polymers for enhancing the quality and dimensional stability of FDM-printed materials.

A cobalt (II) mononuclear complex was synthesized by two-nitrobenzoic acid and pyrazine-two-carboxamide ligands in the presence of sodium bicarbonate and aqueous solution of cobalt acetate tetrahydrate. The synthesized cobalt(II) complex was characterized by single crystal X-rays diffraction. The coordination geometry of the cobalt complex was octahedral with water molecules occupying the axial sites. A lot of intermolecular interactions were in response to stabilize the supramolecular assembly which were inspected by Hirshfeld surface analysis. Enrichment ratios were calculated to find the pair of atoms having the highest propensity to form crystal packing interactions. Void analysis was conducted to forecast how the crystal would respond to applied stress. Interaction energy calculations were carried out using the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) electron density model to identify which energy types most significantly contributed to the supramolecular assembly. Moreover, the energy data obtained from DFT calculations showed an average level of stability of the molecule. The moderate HOMO-LUMO energy gap suggested reactivity, while a high electrophilicity index indicates a strong tendency for electron-accepting reactions.

Three amidine-based ligands were used in the crystal design of a series of mononuclear Zn(II) complexes. Interaction of zinc chloride, ZnCl₂, with N-2-pyridylimidoyl-2-pyridylamidine (Py₂ImAm) resulted in complexes [Zn(Py₂ImAm)₂] (1) and [ZnCl₂(Py₂ImAm)] (2). In [Zn(Py₂ImAm)₂] (1, monoclinic, P2₁/c), the metal ion was coordinated with the bidentate pocket of the anionic form of Py₂ImAm, while in [ZnCl₂(Py₂ImAm)] (2, monoclinic, P2₁/n), the tridentate coordination to a neutral Py₂ImAm was completed by two chloride anions. This structural variation was achieved by a pH-controlling strategy using the weak base triethylamine (TEA). Otherwise, three ionic complexes were obtained with 2-amidinopyridine (PyAm) and Zinc(II), [ZnCl(PyAm)₂]Cl (3, triclinic, P-1), [ZnCl(PyAm)₂]₂[ZnCl₄]·C₂H₅OH (4, monoclinic, P2₁/n), and [ZnCl(PyAm)₂]₂Cl·CH₃OH (5, triclinic, P-1). They comprised the same [ZnCl(PyAm)₂]⁺ monocation with a butterfly-like shape provided by the bidentate chelate coordination of two PyAm neutral entities and a chloride ligand. In a similar butterfly shape, ionic complex [ZnCl(PmAm)₂]₂[ZnCl₄] (6, monoclinic, C2/c) comprised the mononuclear [ZnCl(PmAm)₂]⁺ cations with two bidentate chelate-coordinated 2-amidinopyrimidine (PmAm) as neutral ligands. The Zn(II) pentacoordinated arrangement in 3–6 was variable, from square pyramidal to trigonal bipyramidal. The reported compounds’ synthetic protocols, crystal structures and photoluminescence properties are discussed.

The crystal structures of two intermediates, 4-amino-3,5-difluorobenzonitrile, C₇H₄F₂N₂ (I), and ethyl 4-amino-3,5-difluorobenzoate, C₉H₉F₂NO₂ (II), along with a visible-light-responsive azobenzene derivative, diethyl 4,4′-(diazene-1,2-diyl)bis(3,5-difluorobenzoate), C₁₈H₁₄F₄N₂O₄ (III), obtained by four-step synthetic procedure, were studied using single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The molecules of I and II demonstrate the quinoid character of phenyl rings accompanied by the distortion of bond angles related to the presence of fluorine substituents in the 3 and 5 (ortho) positions. In the crystals of I and II, the molecules are connected by N—H...N, N—H...F and N—H...O hydrogen bonds, C—H...F short contacts, and π-stacking interactions. In crystal of III, only stacking interactions between the molecules are found.

The title compound, systematic name tris(μ₂-perfluoro-o-phenylene)(μ₂-3-phenyl-4H-chromen-4-one)-triangulo-trimercury, [Hg₃(C₆F₄)₃(C₁₅H₁₀O₂)], crystallizes in the monoclinic P2₁/n space group with one flavone (FLA) and one cyclic trimeric perfluoro-o-phenylenemercury (TPPM) molecule per asymmetric unit. The FLA molecule is located on one face of the TPPM acceptor and is linked in an asymmetric coordination of its carbonyl oxygen atom with two Hg centers of the TPPM macrocycle. The angular-shaped complexes pack in zigzag chains where they stack via two alternating TPPM–TPPM and FLA–FLA stacking patterns. The distance between the mean planes of the neighboring TPPM macrocycles in the stack is 3.445 (2) Å, and that between the benzo-γ-pyrone moieties of FLA is 3.328 (2) Å. The neighboring stacks are interdigitated through the shortened F...F, CH...F and CH...π contacts, forming a dense crystal structure.

Betulin is a promising natural organic substance due to its antibacterial, fungicidal, and antitumor properties, as are their derivatives. The particle size of betulin can reach several tens of micrometers, and its thickness is several microns. There are various ways of processing betulin, but the most promising are solution methods (applying thin layers, impregnation, etc.). Application or impregnation of various materials is carried out using betulin; however, currently known solvents do not allow obtaining solutions with the necessary content of it. Since a number of direct solvents are already known for betulin, which provides only low-concentration solutions, the use of complex systems based on two solvents can become the optimal solution to the problem. The literature data show that the use of mixtures of solvents allows for the preparation of homogeneous solutions, for example, for natural polymers like cellulose, etc. This approach to obtaining solutions has become the basis for the processing of betulin. The use of a mixed solvent based on ethanol and DMSO for the preparation of betulin solutions has been proposed for the first time. The solubility of betulin in a mixture system with a ratio of components of 50 wt.% to 50 wt.% was studied, and a solubility curve was plotted. It is shown that the use of a two-component solvent makes it possible to transfer up to 10% of betulin into solution, which is almost twice as much as compared to already known solvents. The rheological properties of the obtained solutions have been studied. The viscosity of betulin solutions in a complex solvent depends on its content and temperature, so for 7% solutions at 70 °C, it is approximately 0.008 Pa*s. Applying betulin to the surface of the cardboard increases its hydrophobic properties and repellency.

To increase the number of potential materials for application as MRI contrast agents, several Cu(II) complexes were synthesized. Cu(II) complexes were chosen because they are less expensive in comparison with the presently used Gd(III), Mn(II) and other agents. Pyridine-2-carboximidamide (1), pyrimidine-2-carboximidamide (2) and pyrazole-2-carboximidamide (3) in the form of different salts along with CuCl₂ and NaCl or CuBr² and NaBr were used to obtain four Cu(II) complexes: dichloro-pyrimidine-2-carboximidamide copper(II) (4), dibromo-pyrimidine-2-carboximidamide copper(II) (5), dichloro-pirazole-2-carboximidamide copper(II) (6), and dibromo-pirazole-2-carboximidamide copper(II) (7). X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that molecular complexes 4–7 contain square planar coordinated Cu(II) atoms and their structures are very similar, as well as their packing in crystals, which allows us to consider them isomorphs. The same synthetic approach to complex preparation where NaCl or NaBr was not used brought us to the formation of dimeric complexes μ-chloro{chloro(pyridine-2-carboximidamide)copper(II)} (8) and μ-chloro{chloro(pyrimidine-2-carboximidamide)copper(II)} (9). In the dimeric complexes, two fragments which were the same as in monomeric complexes 4–7 are held together by bridging Cu-Cl bonds making the coordination of Cu equal to 5 (square pyramid). In dimeric complexes, axial Cu-Cl bonds are 2.7360 and 2.854 Å. These values are Cu-Cl bonds on the edge of existence according to statistical data from CSD. Synthesized complexes were characterized by IR spectroscopy, TGA, PXRD, EPR, and quantum chemical calculations. The higher thermal stability of monomer pyrimidine-based complexes with Cl and Br substituents makes them more prospective for further studies.