Enzymatic preparation of polyethylene glycol esters of castor oil fatty acids and their surface-active properties

This study concerns the preparation and evaluation of nonionic surfactants prepared from polyethylene glycol (PEG) esters of castor oil fatty acid, a source of hydroxy fatty acid. A lipase-catalyzed esterification reaction has been employed to prepare PEG esters of hydroxy acid to overcome problems associated with chemical processes. Castor oil fatty acid (85% ricinoleic acid) was mixed with PEG of different molecular weight. Rhizomucor miehei lipase was added as catalyst (10% level) and the reaction was continued at 60°C under 2 mm Hg pressure for 360 min. Conversion of PEG to esters was in the range of 86–94%, depending on the molecular size of PEG. The products were isolated and examined for surface activity by surface tension measurement. Surface tension values measured at 25°C were about 36–37 dynes/cm.     

Dissociation constants of long chain fatty acids in methanol-water and ethanol-water mixtures

The pK_a values of lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid in methanol-water and ethanol-water mixtures of different compositions at 303 K and ionic strength, I=0.1M(KNO₃) have been determined. The pK_a values of the fatty acids have been found to increase with the alcohol content of the solvent. It has also been found that, in general, the pK_a values in the ethanolic solvent are greater than those in the methanolic solvent. In a given solvent mixture the observed pK_a value decreases in the order of stearic acid > palmitic acid > myristic acid > lauric acid. Departure from the predicted linearity of the plots of pK_a against the inverse of the dielectric constant, 1/D indicates that the electrostatic effects taken into account by the Born theory are not adequate enough to represent the total medium effects on pK_a.     

Activation of rat liver cholesterol ester hydrolase by cAMP-dependent protein kinase and protein kinase C

Short term regulation of hepatic cholesterol ester hydrolase by reversible phosphorylation is described. Two different kinase systems seem to be involved in this regulation. The addition of ATP, cyclic AMP and Mg²⁺ to rat liver 104,000× g supernatant (S104) produced a 100–140% increase in cholesterol ester hydrolase activity. This stimulation was abolished when protein kinase inhibitor was added prior to the addition of ATP, cyclic AMP and Mg²⁺. Cholesterol ester hydrolase activity was also stimulated when calcium ions, phosphatidylserine, and diolein were added to S104 along with ATP and Mg²⁺. Diolein in this reaction could be substituted by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. Preincubation of S104 with alkaline phosphatase resulted in a deactivation of cholesterol ester hydrolase. The addition of increasing concentrations of Mg²⁺ to S104 produced increasing inhibition of cholesterol ester hydrolase activity, and this effect was blocked by NaF. It is suggested that rat liver cholesterol ester hydrolase is activated by cyclic AMP dependent protein kinase and protein kinase C. Deactivation is accomplished by dephosphorylation catalyzed by a phosphoprotein phosphatase, dependent on Mg²⁺. This work was presented at the Twenty-Third Southeastern Regional Lipid Conference, held October 26–28, in Cashiers, North Carolina.     

FORCED CONVECTIVE MASS TRANSFER IN ANNULI

Mass transfer in annuli has been critically examined for various flow situations. The overall mass transfer rate depends on the hydrodynamic regions prevailing in the annular channel as well as on its dimensions. Theoretically consistent correlations are proposed and recommended for both developed and developing boundary layers under laminar and turbulent flow conditions.     

Frequency dependent stiffness and damping coefficients of orifice compensated multi-recess hydrostatic journal bearings

Frequency dependent stiffness and damping characteristics of an orifice compensated multi-recess hydrostatic journal bearing has been presented incorporating recess volume fluid compressibility effects into it. The theory is based on linearising the Reynolds' equation for finite bearings and the recess flow continuity equation using first order perturbations. A new dimensionless recess volume fluid compressibility parameter (γ) has been introduced. Results for stiffness and damping characteristics have been presented for various frequency of vibration or squeeze parameters (σ) and recess volume parameters (γ) in addition to the usual bearing design parameters.     

Microstructural effects on ductile fracture in heterogeneous materials. Part I: Sensitivity analysis with LE-VCFEM

Ductile failure of heterogeneous materials, such as cast aluminum alloys and discretely reinforced aluminums or DRA’s, initiates with cracking, fragmentation or interface separation of inclusions, that is followed by propagation in the matrix by a ductile mechanism of void nucleation and growth. Damage localizes in bands of intense plastic deformation between inclusions and coalesces into a macroscopic crack leading to overall failure. Ductile fracture is very sensitive to the local variations of the microstructure morphology. This is the first of a two part paper on the effect of microstructural morphology and properties on the ductile fracture in heterogeneous ductile materials. In this paper the locally enhanced Voronoi cell finite element method (LE-VCFEM) for rate-dependent porous elastic–viscoplastic materials is used to investigate the sensitivity of strain to failure to loading rates, microstructural morphology and material properties. A model is also proposed for strain to failure, incorporating the effects of important morphological parameters.     

Exergy analysis of helium liquefaction systems based on modified Claude cycle with two-expanders

Large-scale helium liquefaction systems, being energy-intensive, demand judicious selection of process parameters. An effective tool for design and analysis of thermodynamic cycles for these systems is exergy analysis, which is used to study the behavior of a helium liquefaction system based on modified Claude cycle. Parametric evaluation using process simulator Aspen HYSYS® helps to identify the effects of cycle pressure ratio and expander flow fraction on the exergetic efficiency of the liquefaction cycle. The study computes the distribution of losses at different refrigeration stages of the cycle and helps in selecting optimum cycle pressures, operating temperature levels of expanders and mass flow rates through them. Results from the analysis may help evolving guidelines for designing appropriate thermodynamic cycles for practical helium liquefaction systems.     

Crack and wear behavior of SiC particulate reinforced aluminium based metal matrix composite fabricated by direct metal laser sintering process

In this investigation, crack density and wear performance of SiC particulate (SiCp) reinforced Al-based metal matrix composite (Al-MMC) fabricated by direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) process have been studied. Mainly, size and volume fraction of SiCp have been varied to analyze the crack and wear behavior of the composite. The study has suggested that crack density increases significantly after 15 volume percentage (vol.%) of SiCp. The paper has also suggested that when size (mesh) of reinforcement increases, wear resistance of the composite drops. Three hundred mesh of SiCp offers better wear resistance; above 300 mesh the specific wear rate increases significantly. Similarly, there has been no improvement of wear resistance after 20 vol.% of reinforcement. The scanning electron micrographs of the worn surfaces have revealed that during the wear test SiCp fragments into small pieces which act as abrasives to result in abrasive wear in the specimen.     

A fully standardized method of synthesis of gold nanoparticles of desired dimension in the range 15 nm-60 nm

The citrate reduction method of synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as introduced by Frens has been standardized to enable one to prepare AuNPs of desired dimension by controlling the composition of the reactants. The standardization has been made through characterization of the nanoparticles by UV-vis spectroscopy and from the transmission electron microscopic (TEM) measurements. Linearity of the plot of the plasmon absorption maximum (lambda(max)) of the synthesized AuNPs against their diameter as measured from TEM, as well as the plot of lambda(max) with the fractional concentration of citrate in the reaction mixture provides a convenient and easy route to dictate the size of the synthesized AuNPs from a control on the composition of the reactants. The standardization reveals that a calculated composition of citrate (in terms of fractional concentration) in the reaction mixture produces AuNPs of a desired dimension within the range of 15-60 nm. The diameter of the synthesized gold nanoparticles can be confirmed simply from the UV-vis spectrophotometric technique. This essentially makes the use of costly TEM unnecessary, at least for the primary purposes.