Structure and performance of electroblown PVDF-based nanofibrous electret filters

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)-based nanofibrous mats were produced via electrically assisted solution blowing (electroblowing). Morphology and filtration properties of the nanofibrous mats were investigated as a function of polymer concentration and applied voltage. The average fiber diameter was reduced from 727 ± 366 nm to 408 ± 143 nm and from 424 ± 233 nm to 328 ± 105 nm, using 16 wt% and 12 wt% concentrations, respectively, with an increase of electric voltage from 0 to 30 kV. In addition, the pore size of the mats produced from 12 wt% concentration decreases with the increase of electric voltage. Results showed that electroblown mats possess high filtration properties and performance. Enhancement of mechanical capturing efficiency is attributed to the reduction in fiber diameter and pore size. The enhancement of electrostatic capturing efficiency is thought to be from the improved electret property of the mats, which eliminates the need for a second step to polarize nanofibrous mats. As a result, both mechanical and electrostatic capture efficiency of the mats is enhanced compared to solution blown PVDF mats. The emerging electret property might be due to the accumulation of the electrostatic charges at high voltage and the enhanced polarized β phase, which is the result of the high drawing ratio applied to the polymer jet during the spinning process.     

Enzymatic Extraction of Wheat Germ Oil

In this study enzymatic extraction of oil from wheat germ (WG) was investigated. Four enzymes (Viscozyme L, Multifect CX 13L, Multifect CX GC and Alcalase 2.4L FG) were screened for their efficacy to release oil from WG. Alcalase 2.4L FG treatment of WG improved oil extraction yield as compared to a control (aqueous extraction without enzyme). Alcalase 2.4L FG, which resulted in significantly higher oil yield than the other three enzymes, was chosen for optimization of the enzymatic oil extraction process by using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Three processing parameters, liquid/solid ratio, extraction time and enzyme concentration, were investigated as the independent variables. Based on the experimental results, the highest oil yield, 66.5% (w/w), was obtained under the following conditions; liquid/solid ratio 16.5, enzyme concentration 1.1% and extraction time 19.25 h. A cubic model with R ² of 0.91 was developed to describe the enzymatic extraction process. Although the cubic model predicted WG oil extraction yields well within the processing conditions studied in this study it was not effective beyond the experimental range. Further research focusing on high liquid/solid ratio, 16–20, and extraction time in 18–24 h and 0.5–5 h ranges is necessary to improve the model developed in this study.