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Papers by Anne McLoughlin

Research paper thumbnail of Use of covalent dynamic networks as binders on epoxy‐based carbon fiber composites: Effect on properties, processing, and recyclability

Polymer Composites

Composites are gaining widespread market interest due to their outstanding mechanical properties ... more Composites are gaining widespread market interest due to their outstanding mechanical properties and light weight. However, this growth is hindered by the lack of sustainable recycling solutions. This research aims to integrate reversible chemistries to advanced carbon fiber‐reinforced composite materials for recycling in a so‐called eco‐design, circular approach. Diene and dienophile reactions are generated at the surface of the carbon fiber allowing a bond–debond interaction with the epoxy matrix. The application of the Diels–Alder adduct on the fiber modifies its polarity and structure. This research assesses a biobased and synthetic epoxy equivalent and demonstrates that this newly developed interphase chemistry has a direct impact on the crosslinking efficiency of the resin, as well as on their interlaminar properties. Furthermore, it has been observed that depending on the type of resin, these changes can have differing impacts on final properties of the composite, reducing th...

Research paper thumbnail of Synthesis and photoluminescence of ZnO nanowires/nanorods

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics, Jul 1, 2005

We report growth of ZnO nanowires on various substrates using a vapour phase transport method and... more We report growth of ZnO nanowires on various substrates using a vapour phase transport method and show that the growth mechanism is vapour-liquid-solid growth. We present photoluminescence data for samples grown on a-plane sapphire at room and low temperatures indicating that the optical quality of these structures is potentially excellent, with intense emission and narrow bound exciton linewidths. The intensity decays rapidly with increasing temperature, indicating a strong temperature-activated non-radiative mechanism whose origin is unclear. We observe a high energy excitonic emission close to the band edge which we assign to the "surface" exciton in ZnO at ∼3.368 eV. This assignment is consistent with the large surface to volume ratio of the nanowire systems under consideration and also indicates that this large ratio has a significant effect on the luminescence even at low temperatures. These surface effects may also be responsible for the rapid decay of the luminescence with increasing temperature via a temperature-activated surface recombination. The nanowire systems appear to offer the prospect of extremely efficient excitonic emission for device applications, and we note that one of the important aspects of achieving this potential will be control of the surface effects via passivation or other means.

Research paper thumbnail of Cellulose: Characteristics and applications for rechargeable batteries

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules

Research paper thumbnail of Synthesis of conductive polymeric nanoparticles with hyaluronic acid based bioactive stabilizers for biomedical applications

Materials Today Chemistry

Research paper thumbnail of Blended lignin as a precursor for carbon-based materials, development and applications

University of Limerick, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Electroconductive poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) nanoparticle-loaded silk fibroin biocomposite conduits for peripheral nerve regeneration

Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) often clinically relies on the use of nerve grafts taken from the p... more Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) often clinically relies on the use of nerve grafts taken from the patient to establish a therapeutic effect, though secondary site of injury and morbidity have prompted the medical community to find alternative solutions. A new trend in the development of biomaterials arises in the form of electro-conductive biomaterials, especially for electrically active tissues such as the peripheral nerves. In this work, novel poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) PEDOT nanoparticles (PEDOT NPs) were synthetized via the mini-emulsion method and were combined with silk fibroin (SF) to create conduits for PNI repair. The synthesized PEDOT NPs-loaded SF conduits showed optimal properties for peripheral nerve substitution from the physico-chemical and biological point of view. They displayed excellent mechanical and conductivity performance with the tensile moduli reaching 6.61 ± 0.55 MPa and the conduits reaching 5.4 · 10–4 S cm−1, respectively. The conduits did not possess...

Research paper thumbnail of Lignin-Based Carbon Fibers for High-Performance Green Composites

Encyclopedia of Green Materials, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Synthesis and characterization of gelatin/lignin hydrogels as quick release drug carriers for Ribavirin

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules

Research paper thumbnail of Sustainable lignin precursors for tailored porous carbon-based supercapacitor electrodes

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules

Research paper thumbnail of Lignin for energy applications – state of the art, life cycle, technoeconomic analysis and future trends

Green Chemistry

Lignin in advanced energy applications: source, extraction methodolgy, structure/property relatio... more Lignin in advanced energy applications: source, extraction methodolgy, structure/property relationships.

Research paper thumbnail of Lignin/Si Hybrid Carbon Nanofibers towards Highly Efficient Sustainable Li-ion Anode Materials

Research paper thumbnail of Sustainable mesoporous carbon nanostructures derived from lignin for early detection of glucose

Green Chemistry

A sustainable glucose sensor was developed from lignin-based carbon nanofibres with hierarchical ... more A sustainable glucose sensor was developed from lignin-based carbon nanofibres with hierarchical porosity.

Research paper thumbnail of Carbon Fibre From Renewable Resources: The Role of Lignin Molecular Structure on its Blendability with Biobased Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate)

Green Chemistry

Biobased poly(ethylene terephthalate) has been successfully blended with isopropyl alcohol fracti... more Biobased poly(ethylene terephthalate) has been successfully blended with isopropyl alcohol fractioned hardwood organosolv lignin. The blend compatibility was analysed using Gibbs free energy calculation and confirmed by glass transition temperature...

Research paper thumbnail of Bio‐derived carbon nanofibers from lignin as high performance Li‐ion anode materials

Research paper thumbnail of Biobased Structurally Compatible Polymer Blends Based on Lignin and Thermoplastic Elastomer Polyurethane as Carbon Fiber Precursors

ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering

The production of carbon fibers based on lignin reduces the cost and the environmental impact ass... more The production of carbon fibers based on lignin reduces the cost and the environmental impact associated with carbon fiber manufacture. However, the melt processing of lignin as a carbon fiber precursor is challenging due to its brittleness and limited thermoplastic behavior. For this reason we produce biopolymer blends based on Alcell organosolv hardwood lignin, hydroxypropyl modified Kraft hardwood and a thermoplastic elastomer polyurethane (TPU). Samples with TPU content greater than 30 % showed excellent melt processability and carbonization yield (35 % carbon yield for the samples containing 30 % of TPU). The thermal properties were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry, rheology and thermogravimetric analysis. Fourier infrared measurements were utilised to explain the lignin/TPU interactions which governed the thermal and rheological behaviour of the blends. SEM analysis showed that the blends produce a homogeneous structure which was void free after carbonization. These structurally complimentary biopolymeric blends should open up new avenues for lignin valorization and bring closer the realization of the production of carbon fibers from biosources.

Research paper thumbnail of Understanding the thermal and dielectric response of organosolv and modified kraft lignin as a carbon fibre precursor

Green Chemistry

Understanding the thermal behaviour of lignin is crucial in order to realise its valorisation as ... more Understanding the thermal behaviour of lignin is crucial in order to realise its valorisation as an engineering polymer.

Research paper thumbnail of Valorization of lignin in polymer and composite systems for advanced engineering applications – A review

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules

Research paper thumbnail of Use of covalent dynamic networks as binders on epoxy‐based carbon fiber composites: Effect on properties, processing, and recyclability

Polymer Composites

Composites are gaining widespread market interest due to their outstanding mechanical properties ... more Composites are gaining widespread market interest due to their outstanding mechanical properties and light weight. However, this growth is hindered by the lack of sustainable recycling solutions. This research aims to integrate reversible chemistries to advanced carbon fiber‐reinforced composite materials for recycling in a so‐called eco‐design, circular approach. Diene and dienophile reactions are generated at the surface of the carbon fiber allowing a bond–debond interaction with the epoxy matrix. The application of the Diels–Alder adduct on the fiber modifies its polarity and structure. This research assesses a biobased and synthetic epoxy equivalent and demonstrates that this newly developed interphase chemistry has a direct impact on the crosslinking efficiency of the resin, as well as on their interlaminar properties. Furthermore, it has been observed that depending on the type of resin, these changes can have differing impacts on final properties of the composite, reducing th...

Research paper thumbnail of Synthesis and photoluminescence of ZnO nanowires/nanorods

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics, Jul 1, 2005

We report growth of ZnO nanowires on various substrates using a vapour phase transport method and... more We report growth of ZnO nanowires on various substrates using a vapour phase transport method and show that the growth mechanism is vapour-liquid-solid growth. We present photoluminescence data for samples grown on a-plane sapphire at room and low temperatures indicating that the optical quality of these structures is potentially excellent, with intense emission and narrow bound exciton linewidths. The intensity decays rapidly with increasing temperature, indicating a strong temperature-activated non-radiative mechanism whose origin is unclear. We observe a high energy excitonic emission close to the band edge which we assign to the "surface" exciton in ZnO at ∼3.368 eV. This assignment is consistent with the large surface to volume ratio of the nanowire systems under consideration and also indicates that this large ratio has a significant effect on the luminescence even at low temperatures. These surface effects may also be responsible for the rapid decay of the luminescence with increasing temperature via a temperature-activated surface recombination. The nanowire systems appear to offer the prospect of extremely efficient excitonic emission for device applications, and we note that one of the important aspects of achieving this potential will be control of the surface effects via passivation or other means.

Research paper thumbnail of Cellulose: Characteristics and applications for rechargeable batteries

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules

Research paper thumbnail of Synthesis of conductive polymeric nanoparticles with hyaluronic acid based bioactive stabilizers for biomedical applications

Materials Today Chemistry

Research paper thumbnail of Blended lignin as a precursor for carbon-based materials, development and applications

University of Limerick, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Electroconductive poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) nanoparticle-loaded silk fibroin biocomposite conduits for peripheral nerve regeneration

Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) often clinically relies on the use of nerve grafts taken from the p... more Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) often clinically relies on the use of nerve grafts taken from the patient to establish a therapeutic effect, though secondary site of injury and morbidity have prompted the medical community to find alternative solutions. A new trend in the development of biomaterials arises in the form of electro-conductive biomaterials, especially for electrically active tissues such as the peripheral nerves. In this work, novel poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) PEDOT nanoparticles (PEDOT NPs) were synthetized via the mini-emulsion method and were combined with silk fibroin (SF) to create conduits for PNI repair. The synthesized PEDOT NPs-loaded SF conduits showed optimal properties for peripheral nerve substitution from the physico-chemical and biological point of view. They displayed excellent mechanical and conductivity performance with the tensile moduli reaching 6.61 ± 0.55 MPa and the conduits reaching 5.4 · 10–4 S cm−1, respectively. The conduits did not possess...

Research paper thumbnail of Lignin-Based Carbon Fibers for High-Performance Green Composites

Encyclopedia of Green Materials, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Synthesis and characterization of gelatin/lignin hydrogels as quick release drug carriers for Ribavirin

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules

Research paper thumbnail of Sustainable lignin precursors for tailored porous carbon-based supercapacitor electrodes

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules

Research paper thumbnail of Lignin for energy applications – state of the art, life cycle, technoeconomic analysis and future trends

Green Chemistry

Lignin in advanced energy applications: source, extraction methodolgy, structure/property relatio... more Lignin in advanced energy applications: source, extraction methodolgy, structure/property relationships.

Research paper thumbnail of Lignin/Si Hybrid Carbon Nanofibers towards Highly Efficient Sustainable Li-ion Anode Materials

Research paper thumbnail of Sustainable mesoporous carbon nanostructures derived from lignin for early detection of glucose

Green Chemistry

A sustainable glucose sensor was developed from lignin-based carbon nanofibres with hierarchical ... more A sustainable glucose sensor was developed from lignin-based carbon nanofibres with hierarchical porosity.

Research paper thumbnail of Carbon Fibre From Renewable Resources: The Role of Lignin Molecular Structure on its Blendability with Biobased Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate)

Green Chemistry

Biobased poly(ethylene terephthalate) has been successfully blended with isopropyl alcohol fracti... more Biobased poly(ethylene terephthalate) has been successfully blended with isopropyl alcohol fractioned hardwood organosolv lignin. The blend compatibility was analysed using Gibbs free energy calculation and confirmed by glass transition temperature...

Research paper thumbnail of Bio‐derived carbon nanofibers from lignin as high performance Li‐ion anode materials

Research paper thumbnail of Biobased Structurally Compatible Polymer Blends Based on Lignin and Thermoplastic Elastomer Polyurethane as Carbon Fiber Precursors

ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering

The production of carbon fibers based on lignin reduces the cost and the environmental impact ass... more The production of carbon fibers based on lignin reduces the cost and the environmental impact associated with carbon fiber manufacture. However, the melt processing of lignin as a carbon fiber precursor is challenging due to its brittleness and limited thermoplastic behavior. For this reason we produce biopolymer blends based on Alcell organosolv hardwood lignin, hydroxypropyl modified Kraft hardwood and a thermoplastic elastomer polyurethane (TPU). Samples with TPU content greater than 30 % showed excellent melt processability and carbonization yield (35 % carbon yield for the samples containing 30 % of TPU). The thermal properties were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry, rheology and thermogravimetric analysis. Fourier infrared measurements were utilised to explain the lignin/TPU interactions which governed the thermal and rheological behaviour of the blends. SEM analysis showed that the blends produce a homogeneous structure which was void free after carbonization. These structurally complimentary biopolymeric blends should open up new avenues for lignin valorization and bring closer the realization of the production of carbon fibers from biosources.

Research paper thumbnail of Understanding the thermal and dielectric response of organosolv and modified kraft lignin as a carbon fibre precursor

Green Chemistry

Understanding the thermal behaviour of lignin is crucial in order to realise its valorisation as ... more Understanding the thermal behaviour of lignin is crucial in order to realise its valorisation as an engineering polymer.

Research paper thumbnail of Valorization of lignin in polymer and composite systems for advanced engineering applications – A review

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules