Adsorption Mechanism between Corn Stalk Fiber and Asphalt

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The paper investigated the adsorption mechanism between corn stalk fiber and asphalt materials. Redlich-Peterson model is applied to describe the absorption process. More background information and references are suggested in the introduction section regarding different models. In Section 3, the authors can compare the results with previous studies or public data to see the advantage or challenges of the methods/models. More discussion is suggested in the result and conclusion sections. There is some inconsistency in the section numbers and reference numbers. 

Author Response

Dear reviewer,

 

Thank you very much for giving us the opportunity to provide clarifications and revise the manuscript.

 

According to your comments, we have explained and revised the manuscript as follows. The new texts have been highlighted in the main document using red color

 

Reviewer 1:

Comments:

The paper investigated the adsorption mechanism between corn stalk fiber and asphalt materials. Redlich-Peterson model is applied to describe the absorption process. More background information and references are suggested in the introduction section regarding different models. In Section 3, the authors can compare the results with previous studies or public data to see the advantage or challenges of the methods/models. More discussion is suggested in the result and conclusion sections. There is some inconsistency in the section numbers and reference numbers.

Response:

Thank you for your kind suggestion. In fact, as we added more explanations in section 3.4, section 3.5 and section 3.6, including the formula of the models as well as the meaning of the parameters. However, we agreed with the suggestion of the reviewer, we added the background information and references of different models.

22. Gherca, D.; Borhan, A.I.; Mihai, M.M.; et al. Magnetite-induced topological transformation of 3D hierarchical MgAI layered double hydroxides to highly dispersed 2D magnetic hetero-nanosheets for effective removal of cadmium ions from aqueous solutions. Materials Chemistry and Physics, 2022, 284, 
23. Younis, S.A.; Motawea, E.A.; Moustafa, Y.M.; et al. A strategy for the efficient removal of chlorophenols in petrochemical wastewater by organophilic and aminated silica@alginate microbeads: Taguchi optimization and isotherm modeling based on partition coefficient. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2020, 397, 
24. Mood, S.H.; Ayiania, M.; Jefferson, M.Y.; et al. Nitrogen doped char from anaerobically digested fiber for phosphate removal in aqueous solutions. Chemosphere, 2020, 240,
25. B, Fernández.; J, Echeandía.; JR, Rivera.Hernández.; et al. Mercury interactions with algal and plastic microparticles: Comparative role as vectors of metals for the mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2020, 396, 122739.
26. Karami,; Bayat, P.; Javadian, S.; et al. A novel TMD/MOF (Transition Metal Dichalcogenide/Metalorganic frameworks) composite for highly and selective adsorption of methylene blue dye from aqueous mixture of MB and MO. Journal of Molecular Liquids, 2021, 342, 117520.
27. Yao, ; Wen, J.; Li, H.; et al. Surface functional groups determine adsorption of pharmaceuticals and personal care products on polypropylene microplastics. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2022, 423, 127131.
28. Omokpariola, D. Experimental Modelling Studies on the removal of crystal violet, methylene blue and malachite green dyes using Theobroma cacao (Cocoa Pod Powder). Chemistry Letters, 2021, 2, 9-24.

 

Thank you for your kind suggestion again. We would further study the mechanism of corn stalk fiber adsorbing asphalt in the future, and we have added some discussion in the conclusion section of this paper. We have adjusted and modified the section numbers and reference numbers.

We appreciate it very much for the comments and suggestions of reviewer. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have more questions regarding this response and the revised paper.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

Zining Chen et al. have investigated the adsorption process of asphaltene on corn stalk fibers. Scanning electron microscopy illustrated that the corn stalk fibers had rough surfaces and pore structures. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis showed that the corn stalk fibers had macroporous and mesoporous structures. It is novel and interest to the researchers in the related areas. I would consider the paper for publication after minor revisions are made according to the following specific comments:

1.     The scale bar should be given in Fig. 1.

2.     The higher magnification SEM images should be given for detailed observation of the surface structures. Such as the Fig. 4.

3.     The error bar should be given in Fig.7.

4.     In Fig. 15b, why choose these five values of Adsorption rate of asphaltenes?

5.     For the study of functional materials, the authors may refer these recent papers: 1. Nanoscale, 2022,14, 9392; 2. Nano-Micro Lett. 14,97,2022

6.     For more perfection, several language mistakes could be revised.

Author Response

Dear reviewer,

 

Thank you very much for giving us the opportunity to provide clarifications and revise the manuscript.

 

According to your comments, we have explained and revised the manuscript as follows. The new texts have been highlighted in the main document using red color.

 

Reviewer 1:

Comments:

Zining Chen et al. have investigated the adsorption process of asphaltene on corn stalk fibers. Scanning electron microscopy illustrated that the corn stalk fibers had rough surfaces and pore structures. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis showed that the corn stalk fibers had macroporous and mesoporous structures. It is novel and interest to the researchers in the related areas. I would consider the paper for publication after minor revisions are made according to the following specific comments:

1. The scale bar should be given in Fig. 1.

Response:

Thank you for your comment. We have given the scale bar in Fig.1. Thanks!

 

2. The higher magnification SEM images should be given for detailed observation of the surface structures. Such as the Fig. 4.

Response:

Thank you for your comment. Due to limited time and experimental conditions, we are really sorry that we are not able to provide higher magnification SEM images in this manuscript, but we promise that they will be provided in the future in-depth study. Thanks!

 

3. The error bar should be given in Fig.7.

Response:

Thank you for your comment. We have given error bar in Fig.7. Thanks!

 

4. In Fig. 15b, why choose these five values of Adsorption rate of asphaltenes?

Response：

Thank you for your comment. We are very sorry that this content has caused you doubt. These five values of adsorption rate of asphaltenes correspond to the proportion of adsorbed asphaltenes with different mixing masses of corn stalk fibers. Thanks!

 

5. For the study of functional materials, the authors may refer these recent papers: 1. Nanoscale, 2022,14, 9392; 2. Nano-Micro Lett. 14,97,10.

Response:

Thank you for your suggestion. After reading these recent papers, we carefully considered and added these papers to the references. Thanks!

8. He, Y.C.; Wang, L.X.; Wu, T.G.; et al. Facile fabrication of hierarchical textures for substrate-independent and durable superhydrophobic surfaces. Nanoscale, 2022, 14, 9392-9400.

 

19. Yin, K.; Wang, L.X.; Deng, Q.W.; et al. Femtosecond Laser Thermal Accumulation-Triggered Micro-/Nanostructures with Patternable and Controllable Wettability Towards Liquid Manipulating. Nano-Micro Letters, 2022, 14, 97.

 

6. For more perfection, several language mistakes could be revised.

Response:

Thank you for your kind suggestion. We have revised the language mistakes in this manuscript carefully. Thanks!

 

We appreciate it very much for the comments and suggestions of reviewer. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have more questions regarding this response and the revised paper.

Reviewer 3 Report

The article analyzes in detail the technical aspects of aggregates used for asphalt production. Meanwhile, the aspects of environmental protection and sustainability and/or resource conservation/circular economy lack attention. 

I have no remarks regarding the adsorption mechanism research part. But the article needs to be supplemented with environmental aspects, for example:

* What environmental problems are now caused by corn stalk waste? 

* How will the proposed use of corn stalk fiber contribute to sustainability?

* Various types of ash can be used for asphalt production. How is corn stalk fiber better in terms of product quality and environmental protection aspects?

Author Response

Dear reviewer,

 

Thank you very much for giving us the opportunity to provide clarifications and revise the manuscript.

 

According to your comments, we have explained and revised the manuscript as follows. The new texts have been highlighted in the main document using red color.

 

The article analyzes in detail the technical aspects of aggregates used for asphalt production. Meanwhile, the aspects of environmental protection and sustainability and/or resource conservation/circular economy lack attention.

I have no remarks regarding the adsorption mechanism research part. But the article needs to be supplemented with environmental aspects, for example:

* What environmental problems are now caused by corn stalk waste?

Response:

Thank you for your comment. This is a good question. As a big agricultural country, China produces a large amount of corn every year, which also produces a large number of corn stalks. If the corn stalks are abandoned in the field or roadside, they will gradually decompose after long-term exposure to the sun and rain, so that the nutrients including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and trace elements will enter the surface and underground water system with the rain, resulting in the eutrophication of water resources. However, the open burning of corn stalks will cause regional intermittent air pollution. The burning of corn stalks will produce a large amount of CO, CO₂, NO, NO₂ and other gases, and will also lead to the increase of fine particulate matter(PM2.5) in the air, which will cause harm to the atmospheric environment and human body. We also added the explanation in the manuscript. Thanks!

 

* How will the proposed use of corn stalk fiber contribute to sustainability?

Response:

Thank you for your comment. This is also a good question. In asphalt pavement structure SMA(Stone Mastic Asphalt), it is necessary to add lignin fiber material. The lignin fiber material is derived from wood, and its extensive use will damage the ecological environment. The application of corn stalk fiber in asphalt pavement can alleviate this problem, thus also solving the environmental pollution problem caused by corn stalk storage or burning. Corn stalk fiber can be used to replace lignin fiber in SMA pavement structure, and the two kinds of fiber play the same role in SMA pavement structure, which is to adsorb asphalt. We also added the explanation in the manuscript. Thanks!

 

* Various types of ash can be used for asphalt production. How is corn stalk fiber better in terms of product quality and environmental protection aspects?

Response:

Thank you for your comment. Corn stalk fiber is mainly composed of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, which will not produce harmful substances in the process of asphalt pavement use, and easy to be recycled and degraded. At the same time, we emphatically analyzed the application effect of corn stalk fiber and lignin fiber in asphalt mixture in the previous articles, which are “Chen Z , Chen Z , Yi J , et al. Application of Corn Stalk Fibers in SMA Mixtures[J]. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 2021(33-7)” and “Chen, Z.N.; Yi, J.Y.; et al. Properties of asphalt binder modified by corn stalk fiber. Construction and Building Materials, 2019, 212, 225-235”. Through data comparison in these articles, it can be found that corn stalk fiber can achieve the same application effect of lignin fiber in SMA pavement structure. Thanks!

We appreciate it very much for the comments and suggestions of reviewer. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have more questions regarding this response and the revised paper.