Effective electrodeposition of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-based organic coating on metallic food packaging for active corrosion protection

Journal of Applied Electrochemistry - Modern technologies continuously need special materials with specific properties to adopt the desired application. Recently, numerous researches have been...     

Comparison of Antifungal and Antioxidant Activities of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acacia mangium</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">A. auriculiformis</Emphasis> Heartwood Extracts

The effect of heartwood extracts from Acacia mangium (heartrot-susceptible) and A. auriculiformis (heartrot-resistant) was examined on the growth of wood rotting fungi with in vitro assays. A. auriculiformis heartwood extracts had higher antifungal activity than A. mangium. The compounds 3,4,7,8-tetrahydroxyflavanone and teracacidin (the most abundant flavonoids in both species) showed antifungal activity. A. auriculiformis contained higher levels of these flavonoids (3.5- and 43-fold higher, respectively) than A. mangium. This suggests that higher levels of these compounds may contribute to heartrot resistance. Furthermore, both flavonoids had strong 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and laccase inhibition. This suggests that the antifungal mechanism of these compounds may involve inhibition of fungal growth by quenching of free radicals produced by the extracellular fungal enzyme laccase.     

Chemical synthesis of a dual branched malto-decaose: a potential substrate for alpha-amylases

A convergent block strategy for general use in efficient synthesis of complex alpha-(1-->4)- and alpha-(1-->6)-malto-oligosaccharides is demonstrated with the first chemical synthesis of a malto-oligosaccharide, the decasaccharide 6,6'-bis(alpha-maltosyl)-maltohexaose, with two branch points. Using this chemically defined branched oligosaccharide as a substrate, the cleavage pattern of seven different alpha-amylases were investigated. Alpha-amylases from human saliva, porcine pancreas, barley alpha-amylase 2 and recombinant barley alpha-amylase 1 all hydrolysed the decasaccharide selectively. This resulted in a branched hexasaccharide and a branched tetrasaccharide. Alpha-amylases from Asperagillus oryzae, Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus sp. cleaved the decasaccharide at two distinct sites, either producing two branched pentasaccharides, or a branched hexasaccharide and a branched tetrasaccharide. In addition, the enzymes were tested on the single-branched octasaccharide 6-alpha-maltosyl-maltohexaose, which was prepared from 6,6'-bis(alpha-maltosyl)-maltohexaose by treatment with malt limit dextrinase. A similar cleavage pattern to that found for the corresponding linear malto-oligosaccharide substrate was observed.     

The third-order nonlinear optical properties of novel styryl dyes

The third-order nonlinear optical properties of two novel styryl dyes, namely, 1,3-diethyl-5-(4-methoxybenzylidene)-2-thioxodihydropyrimidine-4,6(1H,5H)-dione and 5-(3,4-dimethoxybenzylidene)-1,3-diethyl-2-thioxodihydropyrimidine-4,6(1H,5H)-dione were studied using the Z-scan technique employing 7 ns laser pulses at 532 nm. The nonlinear refractive index, nonlinear absorption coefficient, magnitude of effective third-order susceptibility and coupling factor were determined. The optical power limiting behavior of the colorants was ascribed to two-photon absorption phenomenon. Nonlinear absorption cross-section increased with increase in π electron density and the effective two-photon absorption cross-section was two orders of magnitude larger than those of commercially available azo compounds. The results suggest that these colorants offer promise as nonlinear optical materials for device applications.     

A third-generation hydrogen peroxide biosensor based on Horseradish Peroxidase (HRP) enzyme immobilized in a Nafion-Sonogel-Carbon composite

A third-generation biosensor based on HRP and a Sonogel-Carbon electrode has been fabricated with the aim of monitoring hydrogen peroxide in aqueous media via a direct electron transfer process. The redox activity of native HRP, typical of thin-layer electrochemistry, was observed. The charge coefficient transfer, α, and the heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant, k_s, were calculated to be 0.51 ± 0.04 and 1.29 ± 0.04 s⁻¹, respectively. Topographic study by atomic force microscopy (AFM) shows that the enzyme may have been introduced inside the ionic cluster of the Nafion. The immobilized HRP exhibited excellent electrocatalytical response to the reduction of H₂O₂ and preserved its native state after the immobilization stage. Several important experimental variables were optimized. The resulting biosensor showed a linear response to H₂O₂ over a concentration range from 4 to 100 μM, with a sensitivity of 12.8 nA/μM cm⁻² and a detection limit of 1.6 μM, calculated as (3 S.D./sensitivity). The apparent Michaelis-Menten constant was calculated to be 0.295 ± 0.020 mM. The biosensor showed high sensitivity as well as good stability and reproducibility. The performance of the biosensor was evaluated with respect to four possible interferences.     

Role of alloyed silicon and some inorganic inhibitors in the inhibition of meta-stable and stable pitting of Al in perchlorate solutions

The study of both meta-stable and stable pitting events on the surface of pure Al and three Al–Si alloys, namely (Al + 6%Si), (Al + 12%Si) and (Al + 18%Si) alloys, was carried out in deaerated neutral NaClO₄ solutions of various concentrations (10⁻⁴–10⁻² M). Measurements were carried out under the effect of various experimental conditions using potentiodynamic anodic polarization and potentiostatic techniques. The results presented below showed that meta-stable pits (appeared as oscillations in current) form at potentials close to the pitting potential (E _pit) and during the induction time for stable pit formation. Various factors affecting the rate of meta-stable and stable pits were studied. The presence of Si as an alloying element in Al reduces the rate of formation of meta-stable pits, corresponding to a reduction in the probability of developing stable pits, and an increase in the pitting potential results. The inhibitive effects of chromate, silicate, molybdate and tungstate on pitting corrosion in Al were also studied. Results obtained showed that these known inhibitors retard both meta-stable and stable pitting events. This makes attainment of stable pit growth more difficult in presence of these inhibitors.

A solidification model for prediction of castability in the precipitation-strengthened nickel-based superalloys

The Scheil equation was used to model the solidification path, microsegregation of alloying elements in the interdendritic regions, solidification temperature ranges, and to predict the formation of secondary structures and the castability behavior of as-cast superalloys. 4 experimental alloys with pre-specified γ-Ti,Nb,Al,Mo composition containing different Nb, Ti and Al contents were designed using vacuum induction melting furnace. The produced as-cast superalloys were characterized using optical and scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer and TG–DSC analysis. The experiments showed logic conformity to the modeling results. The model and experiment confirmed the highest segregation behavior for Ti and Nb. All the experimental superalloys indicated the remarkable tendency to form secondary eutectic structures at the last stages of solidification. Superalloy with chemical composition of γ-3.5%Mo,1.8%Al,4%Ti,2.9%Nb showed the shorter solidification temperature range and the best castability.     

Identification of tet(M) in two Lactococcus lactis strains isolated from a Spanish traditional starter-free cheese made of raw milk and conjugative transfer of tetracycline resistance to lactococci and enterococci

Specific PCR and sequencing showed that a tet(M) gene was present in two tetracycline-resistant Lactococcus lactis strains isolated from a raw milk, starter-free cheese. Hybridisation experiments using as a probe an internal segment of the gene obtained by PCR associated tet(M) with plasmids of around the same size (30 kbp) in both strains. Molecular analysis of the tetracycline resistance loci, including the upstream and downstream regions of the genes, showed them to be identical to one other and to the tet(M) encoded by the conjugative transposon Tn916. Amplification of Tn916-derived segments suggested the transposon was complete in the two L. lactis strains. Further, curing of the tetracycline resistance was accompanied by a reduction in size of the plasmids comparable to that expected for Tn916. Tetracycline resistance could be transferred by conjugation to plasmid-free Lactococcus and Enterococcus strains. However, no plasmid DNA was detected among the transconjugants while both tet(M) and transposon-related sequences were amplified by PCR. This suggested that only the transposon was mobilized.     

Underground coal gasification: A new clean coal utilization technique for India

Energy demand of India is continuously increasing. Coal is the major fossil fuel in India and continues to play a pivotal role in the energy sector. India has relatively large reserves of coal (253 billion tonnes) compared to crude oil (728 million tonnes) and natural gas (686 billion cubic meters). Coal meets about 60% of the commercial energy needs and about 70% of the electricity produced in India comes from coal, and therefore there is a need for technologies for utilization of coals efficiently and cleanly. UCG offers many advantages over the conventional mining and gasification process. UCG is a well proven technology. Due to the site-specific nature of the process, possibility of land subsidence and surrounding aquifer water contamination, this technology is still in a developing stage in India. Potential for UCG in India is studied by comparing the properties of Indian coals with the properties of coal that are utilized by various UCG trials. The essential issues are elaborated for starting UCG in India based on the reported information from the successful field trials conducted all over the world. Indian industries are in the process of initiating pilot studies of UCG at various sites. This study will help to motivate both applied and theoretical research work on UCG sites in India and after detailed analysis it will provide basic data to interested industries.