Selecting the Pre-Hydrolysis Conditions for Eucalyptus Wood in A Fractional Exploitation Biorefining Scheme

The operating conditions for the autohydrolysis of eucalyptus wood were optimized with a view to maximizing hemicellulose extraction while preserving the integrity of glucan. The influence of the operating conditions used in the soda–anthraquinone pulping of the solid phase resulting from the autohydrolysis process was examined. Autohydrolysis of the raw material at a liquid/solid ratio of 8 kg water/kg material at 180°C for 30 min was found to provide a commercially useful liquid phase containing most of the starting hemicellulose. The autohydrolysis treatment allowed the subsequent production of soda–anthraquinone cellulose pulp and paper with properties as good as or even better than those obtained without the pretreatment.     

Optical,Morphological, and Structural Properties of Tablets Obtained from Porous Silicon

Silicon - Porous silicon (PS) is a material with a great interest due to its optical (photoluminescent) and chemical (reactive surface) properties, for this reason, it is important to find new ways...     

Design and implementation of an ultrasonic sensor for rapid monitoring of industrial malolactic fermentation of wines

Ultrasound is an emerging technology that can be applied to monitor food processes. However, ultrasonic techniques are usually limited to research activities within a laboratory environment and they are not extensively used in industrial processes. The aim of this paper is to describe a novel ultrasonic sensor designed to monitor physical–chemical changes that occur in wines stored in industrial tanks. Essentially, the sensor consists of an ultrasonic transducer in contact with a buffer rod, mounted inside a stainless steel tube section. This structure allows the ultrasonic sensor to be directly installed in stainless steel tanks of an industrial plant. The operating principle of this design is based on the measurement of ultrasonic velocity of propagation. To test its proper operation, the sensor has been used to measure changes of concentration in aqueous samples and to monitor the progress of a malolactic fermentation of red wines in various commercial wineries. Results show the feasibility of using this sensor for monitoring malolactic fermentations in red wines placed in industrial tanks.     

Nickel phosphonate MOF as efficient water splitting photocatalyst

A novel microporous two-dimensional(2D)Ni-based phosphonate metal-organic framework(MOF;denoted as IEF-13)has been successfully synthesized by a simple and green hydrothermal method and fully characterized using a combination of experimental and computational techniques.Structure resolution by single-crystal X-ray diffraction reveals that IEF-13 crystallizes in the triclinic space group Pi having bi-octahedra nickel nodes and a photo/electroactive tritopic phosphonate ligand.Remarkably,this material exhibits coordinatively unsaturated nickel(II)sites,free-P0₃H₂and-P0₃H acidic groups,a C0₂accessible microporosity,and an exceptional thermal and chemical stability.Further,its in-deep optoelectronic characterization evidences a photoresponse suitable for photocatalysis.In this sense,the photocatalytic activity for challenging H₂generation and overall water splitting in absence of any co-catalyst using UV-Vis irradiation and simulated sunlight has been evaluated,constituting the first report for a phosphonate-MOF photocatalyst.IEF-13 is able to produce up to 2,200 fimol of H₂per gram using methanol as sacrificial agent,exhibiting stability,maintaining its crystal structure and allowing its recycling.Even more,170μmol of H₂per gram were produced using IEF-13 as photocatalyst in the absence of any co-catalyst for the overall water splitting,being this reaction limited by the 0₂reduction.The present work opens new avenues for further optimization of the photocatalytic activity in this type of multifunctional materials.     

Amine-impregnated natural zeolite as filler in mixed matrix membranes for CO2/CH4 separation

Flat mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) comprising polysulfone and clinoptilolite-type natural zeolite were prepared by casting. Zeolite was modified with three alkylamines: ethanolamine (EA), bis(2-hydroxypropyl)amine (BHPA), and polyethylenimine (PEI) by the impregnation method. Impregnated zeolite samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and N₂ adsorption–desorption. The alkylamine loading extent determined by thermogravimetric analysis was 5.2, 4.8, and 8.5% for EA, BHPA, and PEI, respectively. Analyses of MMMs showed that the incorporation of impregnated zeolite affected the glass-transition temperature (T_g) and mixed-gas transport properties. In this regard, a decreasing trend of the T_g values from 185.5 °C for the polymeric membrane up to 176.6 °C for Clino-EA-based MMM was recorded. In addition, the gas separation performance was evaluated at two different feed pressures. At 50 psi, MMMs showed an enhancement up to 30% on the CO₂ permeability (22.79 Barrer) and 55% on the CO₂/CH₄ selectivity (45.78) in comparison with the polymeric membrane (CO₂ permeability 17.34 Barrer; CO₂/CH₄ selectivity 29.38). These values varied depending on the alkylamine, BHPA being the most selective. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48286.     

Nonhomogeneous flow of micellar solutions: A kinetic—network theory approach

The rheological behavior of micellar solutions is analyzed under nonhomogeneous velocity and stress flow conditions. The framework is based on the extended irreversible thermodynamics and the transient network formulation coupled to the underlying kinetics embodying two relevant processes: formation of wormlike chains from a free micellar solution through a thermally activated process and their flow induced degradation. The second kinetic process consists in the formation of entanglements from the free wormlike chains and their flow‐induced breakage. These processes are modeled in a coupled kinetic scheme constituted by a set of reversible kinetic equations describing the evolution in average of the three microstates (free short rod‐like micelles, free wormlike chains, and entangled wormlike chains) that reflect the complexity of macromolecular interactions. The predictions of the shear stress and first normal stress difference as a function of shear‐rate under banded flow are in good agreement with experimental data. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 64: 2277–2292, 2018     

Pinoresinol and 1-acetoxypinoresinol, two new phenolic compounds identified in olive oil

Polyphenols of olive oil show autoprotective, sensory, and nutritional-therapeutic effects. Two new phenolic compounds have been isolated from virgin olive oils by preparative high-performance liquid chromatography and their structures established on the basis of their mass spectra and nuclear magnetic resonance spectral data. The compounds identified are the lignans pinoresinol and 1-acetoxypinoresinol. Both have been found in all the commercial virgin olive oils analyzed. Pinoresinol concentration was rather similar in all the oils. In contrast, 1-acetoxypinoresinol concentration was higher in oils of the Arbequina and Empeltre cultivars than in Picual or Picudo cultivars. Pinoresinol and 1-acetoxypinoresinol may represent the major phenolic compounds in some Arbequina and Empeltre oils. Lignans possess biological and pharmacological properties and, therefore, the two new compounds identified in olive oils may contribute to the reported beneficial effects which are attributed to polyphenols on human health of a diet rich in olive oil.     

Discriminating power of the hydrocarbon content from virgin olive oil of extremadura cultivars

Samples of virgin olive oils (105) from seven Extremaduran olive varieties (Cacereña, Carrasqueña, Cornezuelo, Corniche, Morisca, Picual, and Verdial de Badajoz) in three stage of maturity (green, semi-ripe, and ripe) were collected and the alkane, alkene, and sesquiterpene contents determined. There were significant differences at the 0.01 probability level in most of the hydrocarbons, both by variety and by state of maturity. Discriminant analysis applied to 70 samples explained 72.3% of the variance between the different groups of varieties and allowed 90% of the samples to be classified according to their variety. The acceptability of the model was verified against the remaining 35 samples, giving a mean level of correct classification of 94%.     

Evidences of the Cerium Oxide-Catalysed DPF Regeneration in a Real Diesel Engine Exhaust

The active phase Ce_0.5Pr_0.5O₂ has been loaded on commercial substrates (SiC DPF and cordierite honeycomb monolith) to perform DPF regeneration experiments in the exhaust of a diesel engine. Also, a powder sample has been prepared to carry out soot combustion experiments at laboratory. Experiments performed in the real diesel exhaust demonstrated the catalytic activity of the Ce–Pr mixed oxide for the combustion of soot, lowering the DPF regeneration temperature with regard to a counterpart catalyst-free DPF. The temperature for active regeneration of the Ce_0.5Pr_0.5O₂-containing DPF when the soot content is low is in the range of 500–550 °C. When the Ce_0.5Pr_0.5O₂-containing DPF is saturated with a high amount of soot, pressure drop and soot load at the filter reach equilibrium at around 360 °C under steady state engine operation due to passive regeneration. The uncoated DPF reached this equilibrium at around 440 °C. Comparing results at real exhaust with those at laboratory allow concluding that the Ce_0.5Pr_0.5O₂-catalysed soot combustion in the real exhaust is not based on the NO₂-assisted mechanism but is most likely occurring by the active oxygen-based mechanism.