Image Analysis Techniques for Automated Hazelnut Peeling Determination

According to FAO statistics, in 2000, Italy was the second largest hazelnut (Corylus avellana, L. 1753) producer in the world. The price of the stock depends on the nut quality (kernel/nut ratio, nut and seed defect, percentage of peeling, and taste panel scores). The evaluation of peeling efficiency after toasting is generally conducted by trained operators in sight on 100 kernels. This work tests two alternative objective methods of after toasting peeling evaluation based on image analysis. Eleven hazelnut cultivars were analyzed and results were compared with the ones assessed by trained operators. Images were analyzed with two statistical approaches: fixed values of RGB thresholding and trained K Nearest Neighbors (KNN). Root mean squared error (RMSE), estimating the comparison between operators and the two image analysis-based techniques, shows better results for KNN (6.6) with respect to fixed threshold (15.9).     

Influence of the alkyl chain length of HSO3-R-MCM-41 on the esterification of glycerol with fatty acids

Ordered mesoporous materials functionalized with alkyl sulfonic acid groups have been proved to be efficient catalysts for esterification. In this paper we report on the synthesis and characterization of new materials containing simultaneously alkyl groups (vinyl, chloromethyl), that have been sulfonated in a post-synthesis step, and methyl groups. Different techniques have been used to characterize the obtained materials: XRD, TEM, elemental analysis, nitrogen adsorption, TGA, ²⁹Si and ¹³C MAS NMR. Finally, the influence of the different synthesis parameters and functional groups on the behavior of the catalysts in the reaction of esterification of glycerol with lauric and oleic acids has been studied. The catalytic performance of the resulting HSO₃-ethyl-MCM-41, HSO₃-ethyl/methyl-MCM-41 and HSO₃-methyl-MCM-41 new materials is also compared to those of HSO₃-phenyl/methyl-MCM-41 and HSO₃-propyl/methyl-MCM-41 synthesized previously. It has been demonstrated that an optimum balance among parameters such as nature of the organic group which support the sulfonic acid, distance between the sulfonic group and the silica surface, average pore size of the material, etc., allows to obtain catalysts with improved activity and selectivity for these reactions.     

An energetic approach to the analysis of anisotropic hyperelastic materials

We demonstrate that for the class of anisotropic hyperelastic materials with stiffening behaviour (i.e., the stiffness increases for increasing strain), it is possible to find an approximation by means of the linear superposition of an anisotropic quadratic potential, generated by the true linear elasticity tensor of the target material, and a suitable correction potential that is isotropic and hyperelastic. The proposed method can be implemented into commercially available Finite Element software by use of featured options only. This approach is intended to provide the solution to a stress-strain problem, based entirely on energetic considerations, which ensures the convexity of the potentials, and provides a simple material characterisation procedure.     

The Influence of the Laser Energy on the Thermal Diffusivity Evaluation of TBC by Laser Flash

Laser Flash is considered the standard technique for measuring the thermal diffusivity of solids. The interaction between TBC and the laser energy is studied because very low thermal effusivity and thermal diffusivity of TBC can produce very high temperature increase on the surface and temperature gradient within the sample. In such a case, microstructural modifications of TBC can be generated. In this work, such phenomena are studied experimentally on free standing TBC samples.     

Ultra-deep oxidative desulfurization of diesel fuel by the Mo/Al2O3-H2O2 system: The effect of system parameters on catalytic activity

This work presents the results obtained in the development of Mo/γ-Al₂O₃ catalysts and their evaluation in the oxidative desulfurization (OD) process of diesel fuel using hydrogen peroxide as the oxidizing reagent. The catalysts were prepared by equilibrium adsorption using several molybdenum precursors and aluminas with different acidity values. They were characterized by Raman spectroscopy. The effect of the reaction time, reaction temperature, nature of solvent, concentration of solvent and hydrogen peroxide, content of molybdenum and phosphate in the catalysts were investigated. The results showed that the activity for sulfur elimination depends mainly on the presence of hepta- and octamolybdates species on the catalyst support and the use of a polar aprotic solvent. Likewise, the presence of phosphate markedly increases the sulfur elimination. In this way, it is possible to reduce sulfur level in diesel fuel from about 320 to less than 10 ppmw at 333 K and atmospheric pressure. Additionally, on the basis of the results obtained a mechanistic proposal for this reaction is described, as an oxidation mechanism by nucleophilic attack of the sulfur atom on peroxo species of hepta- and octamolybdates, but a mechanism involving the singlet oxygen presence can be discarded.     

Isotopic Effect on the Kinetics of the Belousov-Zhabotinsky Reaction

In this work we present results about the deuterium isotope effect on the global kinetics of a Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction in batch conditions. A nonlinear dependence of the Induction Period upon the percentage of deuterated reactants was found. The isotopic effect on the bromination reaction of malonic acid was evaluated.     

Thermal aging of a blend of high‐performance fibers

The focus of this work is the study of the thermal aging of high‐performance fibers used in the making of fire protective garments. Accelerated thermal aging tests were carried out on fabric samples made up of a blend of Kevlar® (poly p‐phenylene terephthalamide) and PBI (poly benzimidazole) staple fibers, as well as on yarns pulled from this fabric, by means of exposure to elevated temperatures, comprised between 190°C and 320°C. All samples underwent loss of breaking force retention. The material thermal life, defined as the time required for the fibers to attain a 50% reduction of the original breaking force, ranged between a dozen of days at the lowest exposure temperature, to less than an hour at the highest. Breaking force data were fitted using the Arrhenius model following two different approaches, namely the extrapolated thermal life value and the shift factors yielded by the time‐temperature superposition (TTS). The Arrhenius model seemed to describe appropriately the overall aging process, as inferred from the excellent fit obtained when using both approaches, although activation energies provided from both approaches are different. To follow the chemical evolution of the material with thermal aging, Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) analyses were conducted. The qualitative analysis of the FTIR spectra showed little evidence of chemical changes between the aged and the nonaged samples, indicating either that the aging process carries on without significant modification of the chemical structure of the fibers, or that FTIR is not an appropriate method to spot such a modification. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Polyelectrolyte adsorption study on polyethersulfone membrane during polymer-enhanced ultrafiltration by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to study the fouling produced due to the adsorption of poly(vinyl sulfonic acid) on polyethersulfone membrane during metal ion recovery by polymer-enhanced ultrafiltration (PEUF). A solution of PVSA (40 mM in monomeric unit and pH 3.0, 4.5, and 6.0) was placed in a ultrafiltration cell, and then a stream of metal ions (2.0 mM in Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, and Pb²⁺) was passed from reservoir to cell. Fouled membranes were studied by EIS at low and intermediate frequencies. Measurements of hydrodynamic permeability and ATR-FTIR spectra were also obtained. Different relaxation processes were observed with characteristic frequencies (f ₀) ~ 78 kHz and f ₀ ~ 3562 kHz for active layer and clean membrane, respectively, while the frequencies for the fouled membrane f ₀ = ~79.4 and f ₀ = ~2511.9 kHz (pH 3.0). The value of f ₀ could not be defined at pH 6.0. The relaxation times obtained were in the order of ×10⁻⁵ and ×10⁻³ s approximately for all cases. Our results suggest that relaxation mechanisms, at intermediate frequencies, can mainly be associated to polarization processes or to the migration of charge carriers.     

Preparation of an adhesive in emulsion for maxillofacial prosthetic

Maxillofacial prostheses is a dental medicine specialty aimed at restoring anatomical facial defects caused by cancer, trauma or congenital malformations through an artificial device, which is commonly attached to the skin with the help of an adhesive. The purpose of our research was to develop a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) based on acrylic monomers, characterizing and determining its drying kinetics, that is to say the time it takes to lose 50 to 90% of its moisture. The adhesive synthesis was realized by means of emulsion polymerization; the composition of formulations was: (AA-MMA-EA) and (AA-MMA-2EHA) with different molar ratios. The formulation based on (AA-MMA-2EHA) with 50 w% of solids, presented good adhesive properties such as tack, bond strength, and short drying time. We propose this formulation as a PSA, because it offers an alternative for systemically compromised patients, by less irritation compared to organic solvent-based adhesives.     

In vitro fermentation characteristics of diets with different forage/concentrate ratios: comparison of rumen and faecal inocula

BACKGROUND: The aim of this trial was to evaluate the replacement of rumen fluid with faeces as inoculum in studying the in vitro fermentation characteristics of diets for ruminants using the in vitro gas production technique. Six iso‐protein diets with different forage/concentrate ratios were incubated with rumen fluid (RI) or faeces (FI) collected from sheep. RESULTS: Most of the fermentation parameters were influenced by diet and inoculum (P < 0.01). With both inocula, organic matter degradability (dOM), cumulative gas production (OMCV) and maximum fermentation rate (R_max) increased as the amount of concentrate in the diet increased. R_max was lower with FI vs RI (P < 0.01); dOM was higher with FI vs RI and the diet × inoculum interaction was significant. As expected, with both inocula, R_max increased as the neutral detergent fibre content of the diet decreased. Significant correlations were obtained using both inocula between OMCV/dOM and gas/volatile fatty acid (VFA), while the correlation VFA/dOM was significant only with FI. The microbial biomass yield calculated by stoichiometric analysis for all diets was higher with FI vs RI. With FI the organic matter used for microbial growth showed an overall decreasing trend as the amount of concentrate in the diet increased. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that both faeces and rumen fluid from sheep have the potential to be used as inoculum for the in vitro gas production technique. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry