Polylactide‐perylene derivative for blue biodegradable organic light‐emitting diodes

In this work we demonstrate, for the first time, the use of polylactic acid (PLA) as a biodegradable host matrix for the construction of the active emissive layer of organic light‐emitting diode (OLED) devices for potential use in bioelectronics. In this preliminary study, we report a robust synthesis of two fluorescent PLA derivatives, pyrene‐PLA ( AH10 ) and perylene‐PLA ( AH11 ). These materials were prepared by the ring opening polymerisation of l ‐lactide with hydroxyalkyl‐pyrene and hydroxyalkyl‐perylene derivatives using 1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐ene as catalyst. OLEDs were fabricated from these materials using a simple device architecture involving a solution‐processed single‐emitting layer in the configuration ITO/PEDOT:PSS/PVK:OXD‐7 (35%): AH10 or AH11 (20%)/TPBi/LiF/Al (ITO, indium tin oxide; PEDOT:PSS, poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with poly(styrenesulfonic acid); PVK, poly(vinylcarbazole); OXD‐7, (1,3‐phenylene)‐bis‐[5‐(4‐tert‐butylphenyl)‐1,3,4‐oxadiazole]; TPBi, 2,2′,2″‐(1,3,5‐benzenetriyl)tris(1‐phenyl‐1H‐benzimidazole)). The turn‐on voltage for the perylene OLED at 10 cd m^–2 was around 6 V with a maximum brightness of 1200 cd m^–2 at 13 V. The corresponding external quantum efficiency and device current efficiency were 1.5% and 2.8 cd A^–1 respectively. In summary, this study provides proof of principle that OLEDs can be constructed from PLA, a readily available and renewable bio‐source. © 2020 The Authors. Polymer International published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Industrial Chemistry.     

Ammonia production using iron nitride and water as hydrogen source under mild temperature and pressure

Ammonia generation was studied in the reaction between water and nitrogen-containing iron at 323 K and atmospheric pressure. Similar to metallic Fe, the interstitial compound Fe₃N reduced water through Fe oxidation to produce hydrogen gas, while the N combined with atomic hydrogen to produce ammonia as a byproduct. The addition of carbon dioxide to this system accelerated the reaction with concomitant consumption of carbon dioxide. The promoted ammonia production upon addition of carbon dioxide can be attributed to the generation of atomic hydrogen from the redox reaction of carbonic acid and Fe, as well as removal of used Fe from the reaction system through the formation of a soluble carbonato complex. When carbonate was added to the reaction system, the production rates of ammonia and hydrogen increased further. The results here confirmed that ammonia can be synthesized from iron nitride under mild conditions by utilizing carbon dioxide.     

Cell-envelope proteinases from lactic acid bacteria: Biochemical features and biotechnological applications

Proteins displayed on the cell surface of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) perform diverse and important biochemical roles. Among these, the cell-envelope proteinases (CEPs) are one of the most widely studied and most exploited for biotechnological applications. CEPs are important players in the proteolytic system of LAB, because they are required by LAB to degrade proteins in the growth media into peptides and/or amino acids required for the nitrogen nutrition of LAB. The most important area of application of CEPs is therefore in protein hydrolysis, especially in dairy products. Also, the physical location of CEPs (i.e., being cell-envelope anchored) allows for relatively easy downstream processing (e.g., extraction) of CEPs. This review describes the biochemical features and organization of CEPs and how this fits them for the purpose of protein hydrolysis. It begins with a focus on the genetic organization and expression of CEPs. The catalytic behavior and cleavage specificities of CEPs from various LAB are also discussed. Following this, the extraction and purification of most CEPs reported to date is described. The industrial applications of CEPs in food technology, health promotion, as well as in the growing area of water purification are discussed. Techniques for improving the production and catalytic efficiency of CEPs are also given an important place in this review.     

A method of assessing essential amino acid availability from microbial and ruminally undegraded protein in lactating dairy cows

The objective of this study was to extend a stable isotope-based assessment of AA absorption from rumen-degradable protein (RDP) sources to include determination of essential AA (EAA) availability from microbial protein (MCP). To demonstrate the technique, a study using a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments applied in a repeated 4 × 4 Latin square design was undertaken. Factors were high and low rumen-degradable protein and high and low starch. Twelve lactating cows were blocked into 3 groups according to days in milk and randomly assigned to the 4 treatment sequences. Each period was 14 d in length with 10 d of adaption followed by 4 d of ruminal infusions of ¹⁵N-labeled ammonium sulfate. On the last day of each period, a ¹³C-labeled AA mixture was infused into the jugular vein over a 6-h period to assess total AA entry. Rumen, blood, urine, and milk samples were collected during the infusions. Ruminal bacteria and blood samples were assessed for AA enrichment. Total plasma AA absorption rates were derived for 6 EAA from plasma ¹³C AA enrichment. Absorption of 6 EAA from MCP was calculated from total AA absorption based on ¹⁵N enrichment in blood and rumen bacteria. Essential AA absorption rates from total protein, MCP, and rumen-undegradable protein were derived with standard errors of the mean of 6, 14, and 14%, respectively. An average of 45% of absorbed EAA were from MCP, which varied among 6 EAA and was interactively affected by starch and RDP in diets. Microbial AA availability measured by isotope dilution method increased with the high RDP diets and was unaffected by starch level, except for Met, which decreased with high starch. Microbial protein outflow, estimated from urinary purine derivatives, increased with RDP and was not significantly affected by starch. This was consistent with measurements from the isotope dilution method. Total AA absorption rates measured from isotope dilution were similar to estimates from CNCPS (v. 6.55), but a lower proportion of absorbed AA was derived from MCP for the former method. Compared with the isotope and CNCPS estimates, the Fleming model underestimated microbial EAA and total EAA availability. An average of 58% of the absorbed EAA was converted into milk, which varied among individual AA and was interactively affected by starch and RDP in diets. The isotope dilution approach is advantageous because it provides estimates of EAA availability for individual EAA from rumen-undegradable protein and MCP directly with fewer errors of measurement than can be achieved with intestinal disappearance methods.     

Gelatinised and hydrolysed corn starch is a cost-effective carbon source with higher production of L-lactic acid by Bacillus coagulans compared with glucose

L-lactic acid is an important organic acid widely used in pharmaceutical, food and textile industries. Bacillus coagulans BCS13002 can efficiently produce L-lactic acid with two kinds of carbon sources. BCS13002 produced L-lactic acid at a content of 10.23 ± 0.16 g/L and 11.67 ± 0.22 g/L, when glucose and gelatinised and hydrolysed corn starch （GHCS） were used, respectively. GHCS exhibits several advantages, including high yield of L-lactic acid and low cost. Proteomics analyses identified several key enzymes, which contributed to the higher production of L-lactic acid when GHCS was used as the carbon source. Those key enzymes were involved in the two-component system (SpoOF), pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis (pantothenate synthetase, 1.584-fold; dihydroxy-acid dehydratase, 1.517-fold), beta-alanine metabolism (1.605-fold) and valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis (1.517-fold) pathways. This study provides a biological basis for using GHCS as a substitute of glucose in the production of L-lactic acid.     

Improved formic acid oxidation using electrodeposited Pd–Cd electrocatalysts in sulfuric acid solution

In the present research, nanostructured Pd–Cd alloy electrocatalysts with different compositions were produced using the electrodeposition process. The morphology of the samples was studied by scanning electron microscopy analysis. Also, the elemental composition of the samples was determined by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and elemental mapping tests. Tafel polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy methods were employed to determine the electrochemical corrosion properties of the synthesized samples in a solution containing 0.5 M sulfuric acid and 0.1 M formic acid. The linear sweep voltammetry, cyclic voltammetry, and chronoamperometry techniques were also employed to evaluate the electrocatalytic activity of prepared samples toward the oxidation of formic acid. In this respect, the influence of some factors such as formic acid and sulfuric acid concentrations and also potential scan rate was investigated. Compared to the pure Pd sample, the Pd–Cd samples were more reactive for the oxidation of formic acid. Besides, the sample with a lower amount of Pd (Pd_1·3Cd) demonstrated much higher electrocatalytic activity than the Pd_7·1Cd and Pd_2·1Cd samples. The observed high mass activity of 15.06 A mg^?1_Pd for the Pd_1·3Cd sample which is 21.1 times higher than Pd/C is an interesting result of this study.     

Hydrogen production from thermal decomposition of ammonia-contaminated acid gas using a detailed reaction mechanism

The increase in the production of acid gas consisting of H₂S, CO₂, and associated impurities such as ammonia and hydrocarbons from oil and gas plants and gasification facilities has stimulated the interest in the development of alternative means of acid gas utilization to produce hydrogen and sulfur, simultaneously. The present literature lacks a detailed reaction mechanism that can reliably predict the thermal destruction of NH₃ and its blend with H₂S and CO₂ to facilitate process optimization and commercialization. In this paper, a detailed mechanism of NH₃ pyrolysis is developed and is merged with the reactions of NH₃ oxidation and H₂S/CO₂ thermal decomposition from our previous works. The mechanism is validated successfully using different sets of experimental data on the pyrolysis and oxidation of NH₃, H₂S, and CO₂. The proposed mechanism predicts the experimental data on NH₃ pyrolysis remarkably better than the existing mechanisms in the literature. The mechanism is used to investigate the effects of NH₃ concentration (0–20%) and reactor temperature (1000–1800 K) on the thermal decomposition of H₂S and CO₂. A synergistic effect is observed in the simultaneous decomposition of NH₃ and CO₂, i.e., NH₃ conversion is improved in the presence of CO₂ and the decomposition CO₂ to CO is enhanced in the presence of NH₃. The presence of H₂S suppressed NH₃ conversion, while the conversion of H₂S remained unchanged with increasing NH₃ concentration at temperature below 1400 K due to the low conversion of NH₃ (up to 18%). At temperature above 1400 K, NH₃ conversion increased rapidly and it triggered a decrease in H₂S conversion as well as the yields of H₂ and S₂. The major reactions involved in the decomposition of H₂S, CO₂, and NH₃ and the production of major products such as H₂, S₂, and CO are identified. The detailed reaction mechanism can facilitate the design and optimization of acid gas thermal decomposition to produce hydrogen and sulfur, simultaneously.     

5 种乳酸菌对库车小白杏发酵液理化性质及感官评价的影响

用戊糖片球菌、罗伊氏乳杆菌、鼠李糖乳杆菌、植物乳杆菌、嗜酸乳杆菌共5?种乳酸菌发酵库车小白杏，通过比较发酵液在发酵过程中的菌浓度、pH值、总可溶性固形物（total soluble solids，TSS）含量、超氧化物歧化酶（superoxide dismutase，SOD）活性等理化特性及发酵结束后的感官评价，筛选出一种或几种适合发酵库车小白杏发酵液的菌株。结果表明，发酵结束后，戊糖片球菌发酵库车小白杏发酵液的SOD活性达到252.63?U/g，活菌数达到8.07（lg（CFU/mL）），TSS含量降至17.1?°Brix，感官总体评价值最佳达到97%。植物乳杆菌发酵的库车小白杏发酵液的SOD活性达到275.87?U/g，感官总体评价几何平均（geometrical mean，GM）值达到88%。嗜酸乳杆菌发酵的库车小白杏发酵液速度最快，活菌数最终达到9.95（lg（CFU/mL）），TSS含量降至16.6?°Brix，但感官总体评价GM值仅为79%。综上所述，戊糖片球菌是最适合发酵库车小白杏的菌种，而植物乳杆菌和嗜酸乳杆菌的适合度仅次于戊糖片球菌。通过比较5?种乳酸菌发酵的库车小白杏发酵液的理化性质和感官评价，可以得出结论，戊糖片球菌最适合发酵库车小白杏。     

Environmental impact assessment of bio-hydrogenated diesel from hydrogen and co-product of palm oil industry

Bio-hydrogenated diesel (BHD) is a second generation biofuel that can be produced from vegetable oil and hydrogen via hydroprocessing. BHD is considered as one of alternative and renewable energy. This work presents evaluation of environmental impacts of BHD produced from palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) compared to fatty acid methyl ester (FAME). Greenhouse gas emission, energy consumption, and overall environmental impacts are assessed. System boundary is from palm oil cultivation to BHD production. The functional unit is defined as 1 kg of fuel produced at the plant. The results indicate that energy consumption of BHD-PFAD is 1.18 times higher than that of BHD-FAME, while giving GHG emission 13.56 times lower than that of BHD-FAME. The results of overall environmental impacts indicated that BHD-PFAD was 3.58 greater than that of BHD-FAME.     

Mechanochemically assisted fabrication of ultrafine Pd nanoparticles on natural waste-derived nitrogen-doped porous carbon for the efficient formic acid decomposition

Utilizing natural waste as carbon source to prepare porous carbon with ultrahigh surface area and developing a facile protocol to synthesize supported metal nanoparticles toward an efficient formic acid (FA) decomposition are vital but remains challenging. Here, discarded ginkgo leaves were utilized as carbon source to prepare ginkgo leaf-derived porous carbon (GLPC) with an ultrahigh surface area of 3851 m²/g. Based on the as-prepared nitrogen-doped GLPC (N-GLPC) after “soft” nitriding, a facile solid-state reduction strategy with mortar-pestle grinding and without the use of any organic solvent and stabilizing ligand was developed to synthesize ultrafine and well-distributed Pd nanoparticles (NPs) with a diameter of 2.7 ± 0.7 nm. The “soft” nitriding temperature and addition of base during preparation played vital roles in the activity of the fabricated catalysts. The Pd/N-GLPC-350 exhibited the highest catalytic activity toward decomposing FA, achieving a high turnover frequency of 2952 h^?1 at 333 K. The Pd/N-GLPC-350 was quite stable and could be reused at least five times without evident activity loss. This study provides a facile solid-state reduction protocol with mortar-pestle grinding to synthesize metal NPs by using natural waste-derived porous carbon as support toward efficient FA decomposition.