Extraction of lipid-soluble antioxidants from rosemary leaves using vegetable oils

The objective of this research was to extract carnosic acid and carnosol, natural lipid-soluble antioxidants, from rosemary leaves without the use of chemical aid. Three different vegetable oils [high oleic soybean oil (HOSO), peanut oil (PO) and cottonseed oil (CO)] were used as the medium for extracting rosemary's lipid-soluble antioxidants. Dried rosemary leaves were ground into fine particles, added two of the selected vegetable oils, mixed and heated. The vegetable oil containing the extracted antioxidants was filtered from the rosemary particles and analysed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). As a control, a common extraction method using ethanol was performed to compare the oil extraction efficiency for carnosic acid and carnosol. HPLC analysis confirmed the presence of carnosic acid and carnosol in all three vegetable oil solutions. Compared to the ethanol extraction, a higher level of the carnosic acid was found in the vegetable oil solutions. Among the vegetable oils, high oleic soybean oil contained the most carnosic acid; however, there were similar amounts of carnosol in all three vegetable oil solutions. The extractions' efficacy was tested on soybean oil's (SO) oxidative stability by adding 2% (w/w) of the antioxidant–vegetable oil solution. The results obtained from peroxide value (PV) and p-anisidine value (AnV) analysis documented a significantly lower degree of oxidation in the soybean oil containing the extracted antioxidant solutions, compared to the pure soybean oil.     

Low-Temperature Crystallization for Separating Monoacetylated Long-Chain Sophorolipids: Characterization of Their Surface-Active and Antimicrobial Properties

Pseudohyphozyma (formerly Rhodotorula) bogoriensis synthesizes long-chain-length (22-carbon chain) sophorolipids (22:0-SL) that are variously acetylated at the 6′- or/and 6″-carbons of the sophorose unit. In this paper, we describe a low-temperature crystallization protocol that preferentially separates the 6′-monoacetylated 22:0-SL (6′-Ac₁-22:0-SL) from a parental mixture of 22:0-SL containing a majority (64.7%) of the 6′,6″-diacetylated moiety (6′,6″-Ac₂-22:0-SL), as deduced from high-pressure-liquid-chromatography evaporative-light-scattering-detection (HPLC-ELSD) and LC/Q-TOF-MS analyses. Tensiometry measurements using the Wilhelmy plate method yielded minimum-surface-tension (SFT_min) and critical-micelle-concentration (CMC) values of 34.6 ± 1.0 mN m⁻¹ and 0.014 mM, respectively, for 6′-Ac₁-22:0-SL (CRYSTAL) fraction and 34.9 ± 1.0 mM m⁻¹ (SFT_min) and 0.018 (CMC) for the hexane precipitate (Hx-PRCP) fraction containing a high concentration (89.2%) of the diacetylated 6′,6″-Ac₂-22:0-SL after crystal removal. In contrast, the SFT_min and CMC of the well-studied 16-18 carbon (C_16-18)-SL of Starmerella bombicola were 35–37.2 mN m⁻¹ and 0.05-(>0.3) mM, respectively. Individually, the purified CRYSTAL and Hx-PRCP fractions exhibited a similar degree of strong growth-inhibition activity against Cutibacterium (formerly Propionibacterium) acnes as determined by an agar-plate zone of inhibition assay. Study on the growth inhibition of oral health-related bacteria, i.e., Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus, showed that, depending on the bacteria and strains tested, the CRYSTAL fraction was either slightly better than or equally effective as the Hx-PRCP fraction in inhibiting cell growth.     

异烟肼衍生物对聚L-乳酸性能的影响

以异烟肼和均苯三酸为原料合成了新型均苯三酸三异烟肼,考察了其对聚L-乳酸(PLLA)结晶性能和热稳定性的影响。结果表明:均苯三酸三异烟肼起到了异相成核的作用,能有效提升PLLA的结晶速率,其中添加质量分数2.0%的均苯三酸三异烟肼可使PLLA有最大非等温结晶焓,但过量的均苯三酸三异烟肼却不利于PLLA的结晶。均苯三酸三异烟肼的加入不会改变PLLA的热分解行为,但随着均苯三酸三异烟肼含量的增加,其起始分解温度下降。     

The effect of epoxide content on compatibility of poly(lactic acid)/epoxidized natural rubber blends

The objective of this work was to determine the effect of the epoxide content in epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) on the miscibility and compatibility with poly(lactic acid) (PLA) in prepared PLA/ENR blends. PLA was blended with 10 wt% of ENRs (epoxidized at 10, 15, 20, and 25 mol%). The presented study showed that the in situ graft copolymer, PLA-g-ENR, was formed during melt blending in the blends containing 10 and 15 mol% ENR. This work is the initial study showing the presence of PLA-g-ENR in the blends by ¹H-NMR and ¹³C-NMR. PLA-g-ENR acted as a compatibilizer, producing a partially miscible blend, indicated by an inward shift of the α-transition temperatures of PLA and ENR in the blends. PLA-g-ENR also greatly reduced the particle size of ENR and increased the impact strength, tensile strength, and elongation at break of the blends. The epoxide content of ENR changed deformation mechanisms of the blends.     

Fracture toughness of single grains and polycrystalline Li7La3Zr2O12 electrolyte material based on a pillar splitting method

In the present study an advanced pillar splitting method is used to determine the fracture toughness of a garnet-type Li₇La₃Zr₂O₁₂ (LLZO) electrolyte. The obtained results are compared to data derived on the basis of conventional Vickers indentation. Furthermore, potential micro-pillar size effects are investigated. The estimated fracture toughness values for single grains and polycrystalline LLZO material obtained via both methods are in good agreement, yielding ∼ 1 MPa m^0.5, hence the data indicate that LLZO exhibits relatively low fracture toughness and has a brittle behavior.     

食品接触材料中羟酸迁移量的研究

采用高效液相色谱内标法同时检测食品接触材料中对苯二甲酸、间苯二甲酸、顺丁烯二酸3种羟酸的迁移量。从流动相、流动相梯度、紫外波长3个方面对色谱条件进行了优化，并计算了方法的检出限、定量限、回收率和相对标准偏差，最后，按照优化后的色谱条件测试了样品中对苯二甲酸、间苯二甲酸、顺丁烯二酸的迁移量。结果表明，在1~20 mg/L范围内线性良好，相关系数R>0.999，回收率为98.3 %~109.7 %，相对标准偏差为0.14 %~3.75 %，方法准确度、精密度高；11 min内完成一次检测，分析效率高，是一种简单、经济的方法；在正常使用条件下，样品中对苯二甲酸、间苯二甲酸、顺丁烯二酸的迁移量符合限量要求，证实了食品接触材料的安全性，而误用条件下的安全评价需进一步试验。     

Transient analysis of a solid oxide fuel cell unit with reforming and water-shift reaction and the building of neural network model for rapid prediction in electrical and thermal performance

This study investigates the effect of reforming reaction, water-shift reaction, and operating parameters on the transient performance of a solid oxide fuel cell unit, because the transient analysis is necessary and helpful for the applications of a SOFC with cross-flow configuration. The primary results show that all properties approach the steady state at similar time except the cell temperature. The reforming and water-shift reaction obviously promote the average current density by 5%, and lower the maximum cell temperature by 20 K. The molar flow rate variation deduces about 15 K difference of maximum cell temperature. The effect of inlet temperature and operating voltage on the average current density and maximum cell temperature is more obvious than the molar flow rate effect. Moreover, this study builds a neural network model to predict the steady average current density and maximum cell temperature rapidly and correctly, which is helpful for the control of a SOFC.     

Experimental Study on Hybrid Organic Phase Change Materials Used for Solar Energy Storage

The solar energy utilization in built environment has been limited due to its low heat flux, uneven distribution in time and space and temporal difference in day and night. The phase change materials have been used to collect the fluctuant solar energy to form a stable energy source for the terminal equipment of the buildings. In this study, the hybrid organic phase change materials was prepared for the capillary radiant heating system which formed a cascade utilization of solar energy. Firstly, lauric acid and stearic acid were selected as the basic organic phase change materials and the binary equilibrium phase diagram was completed based on the method of step cooling curve according to the experimental tests data. The results showed that the phase transition temperature of the mixed acid at the lowest eutectic point was 31.2℃ and the latent heat value was 264.3 kJ/kg when the mass mixing ratio was 70% for lauric acid and 30% for stearic acid. Secondly, the expanded graphite was used as an additive to enwrap the mixed acid and enhance the heat conductivity. The experimental results showed that when the mass proportion of expanded graphite in the mixed acid was 10%, the mixed acid could be completely enclosed by expanded graphite and the stability of melting and solidification was optimal. Additionally, the phase transition temperature of the hybrid phase change material was 31.5℃ and the latent heat value was 217.4 kJ/kg. The novel hybrid phase change material has a lower eutectic point and a higher latent heat of phase change, so it has a large application space and is quite suitable for the cascade utilization of solar energy with capillary network heating system.