Thermal conductivity of ME771 glass-epoxy laminate from millikelvin temperatures to 4 K

Permaglas ME771 is a glass-epoxy laminate which is suitable for use at cryogenic temperatures. We have measured the thermal conductivity of a sample of this material between 64 mK and 4.2 K in the direction parallel to the reinforcing fibres, enabling us to make a comparison with the better known material G-10CR. The thermal conductivity follows the form that would be expected for such a material, and is similar to that of G-10CR, which has a similar (room temperature) tensile strength. We comment on some confusion that has arisen over the difference between G-10CR, a material specifically produced for cryogenic use, and G-10, the more common equivalent.     

Detecting vegetable oil adulteration in hazelnut paste (Corylus avellana L.)

The possibilities of detecting hazelnut paste adulterated with refined and non-refined vegetable oils have been studied. Research was focussed mainly on peanut, high oleic-acid sunflower, corn and soybean oils which have a similar composition to hazelnut oil. The analytical procedures to detect fatty acid (FA), triacylglycerol (TAG) and tocopherol profiles as indicators of adulteration were determined. The better indicators experimentally determined were seven FA (palmitic, stearic, linoleic, linolenic, arachidonic, behenic and lignoceric acids) and different TAG with three unsaturated FA (the code letters used for FA are: P = C_16:0; S = C_18:0; O = C_18:1; L = C_18:2;; L_n = C_18:3) (LLL_n, LLL and OOO), two unsaturated FA (POL, PLL and SOO), and one unsaturated FA (PPL). As expected, when refined vegetable oils were added to hazelnut paste, the increment of stigmasta-3,5-diene allowed detection at levels of 2% oil added. Limits of detection were measured using standard and adulterated hazelnut with different amounts of non-refined vegetable oils added (5%, 10%, 20% and 30%). The distribution of tocopherols and tocotrienols is highly useful, except in the case of added sunflower oil. The differences between the experimental and theoretical values of the TAG with equivalent carbon number (ΔECN) of 42 does not improve the detection limit of hazelnut paste adulterated with peanut or sunflower oils. Similarly, tocopherols usually added to refined vegetable oils as an antioxidant were also determined.     

Study of Nanostructured Array of Antidots Using Pulsed Magnetic Fields

The absence of the superparamagnetic limit in nanostructured antidots makes them strong candidates for ultra-high density recording media. In this work, nanoporous alumina templates (NpATs), with average pore diameters ～35 nm and separation ～100 nm, were grown using a two-step anodization method. A Ni₈₀Fe₂₀ thin film of 6.5 nm was then sputtered on top of such NpATs, building an antidot network. A detailed study of the magnetoresistance (MR) (fields up to 25 T and temperatures down to 77 K) was performed. The antidot network sample revealed an anomalous MR and R(T) behaviour at T _M ～250 K arising from a spin-flip transition occurring in a thin iron oxide layer.     

SEPARATION OF STEROLS AND TRITERPENE ALCOHOLS FROM UNSAPONIFIABLE FRACTIONS OF THREE PLANT SEED OILS

Preparative HPLC was used to separate sterols and triterpene alcohols from the unsaponifiable matters in plant oils from Camellia weiningensis L., Brassica juncea L. and Microula sikkimensis . The isolated sterols and triterpene alcohols were acetylated and further purified by AgNO₃ impregnated silica gel preparative thin layer chromatography (TLC). The isolated acetyl derivatives of sterols and triterpene alcohols were identified by melting point, specific rotation, infrared and mass spectrometry. The sterols were brassicasterol, campesterol, stigmasterol, β-sitosterol and Θ⁵-avenasterol, Θ⁷-avenasterol, Θ⁷-stigmastenol and α-spinasterol. The triterpene alcohols were cycloartanol, cycloartenol, 24-methylenecycloartanol, cyclobranol, dammaradienol, tirucalla-7,24-dienol, butyrospermol, β-amyrin, germanicol, α-4-taraxasterol and lupeol.     

Development of a solid-phase microextraction GC-NPD procedure for the determination of free volatile amines in wastewater and sewage-polluted waters.

An analytical procedure for the determination of free volatile C1-C6 amines in aqueous matrixes has been developed and applied to their determination in waste-water, primary and secondary effluents, and sewage-polluted river samples. The developed analytical procedure involves headspace sampling using solid-phase microextraction with a poly(dimethylpolysiloxane) coating (100 microns) followed by GC-NPD determination and GC/MS confirmation using a tailor-made PoraPLOT amines capillary GC column for volatile amines. Procedural detection limits were compound dependent but ranged from 3 to 56 micrograms L-1, being close to or lower than the odor threshold concentration, and the reproducibility was ca. 15% (N = 5) in real water samples. The developed analytical procedure is solvent free, cost-effective (no cryogenic trap needed), and faster than existing methods because no derivatization step is involved in the determination. Linearity was compound dependent but ranged at least from 50 to 600 micrograms L-1.     

Absolute-Type Shaft Encoding Using LFSR Sequences With a Prescribed Length

Maximal-length binary sequences have existed for a long time. They have many interesting properties, and one of them is that, when taken in blocks of n consecutive positions, they form 2ⁿ - 1 different codes in a closed circular sequence. This property can be used to measure absolute angular positions as the circle can be divided into as many parts as different codes can be retrieved. This paper describes how a closed binary sequence with an arbitrary length can be effectively designed with the minimal possible block length using linear feedback shift registers. Such sequences can be used to measure a specified exact number of angular positions using the minimal possible number of sensors that linear methods allow.     

VOLATILE NITROGEN-CONTAINING COMPOUNDS GENERATED FROM MAILLARD REACTIONS UNDER SIMULATED DEEP-FAT FRYING CONDITIONS

A total of 29 volatile nitrogen-containing compounds were identified from model systems containing glutamine, glutamic acid, asparagine and aspartic acid, respectively, with glucose under simulated deep-fat frying conditions in corn oil. Alkylpyrazines were the most important flavor compound generated. Glutamine, which released free ammonia easily under this condition gave the highest yield of alkylpyrazines. The profiles of pyrazines produced by each amino acid were significantly different. In a glutamine system, 2-(2-furyl)pyrazine, 2-(2-furyl)- 5-methylpyrazine and 2-(2-furyl)-6-methylpyrazine were the major compounds generated.