Optical Properties of Self‐Assembled Cellulose Nanocrystals Films Suspended at Planar–Symmetrical Interfaces

Hierarchically structured materials comprising rod‐like, chiral, nanoparticles are commonly encountered in nature as they can form assemblies with exceptional optical and mechanical characteristics. These include cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), which have a large potential for the fabrication of bioinspired materials mimicking those advanced properties. Fine‐tuning the optomechanical properties of assemblies obtained from CNCs hinges on the transformations from suspensions of liquid crystals to long‐range order in the dry state. So far, associated transitions have been studied using trivial interfaces such as planar substrates. Such transitions are explored as they evolve onto meshed supports. The meshed substrate offers a complex topology, as is encountered in nature, for the formation of CNCs films. The CNCs self‐assembly occurs under confinement and support of the framework bounding the mesh openings. This leads to coexisting suspended and supported nanoparticle layers exhibiting nematic and/or chiral nematic order. Optical microscopy combined with crossed polarizers indicate that the formation of the suspended films occurs via intermediate gelation or kinetic arrest of CNCs across the mesh's open areas. The formation of self‐standing, ultrathin films of CNCs with tunable optical properties, such as selective reflections in the visible range (structural color), is demonstrated by using the presented simple and scalable approach.     

Preparation of Hemodialyzer Made from Polyethersulfone Membrane by Dual-bath Coagulation Method

The dual-bath coagulation method was used for the preparation of PES membrane in this experiment. The main intent of this stndy was to assess the efforts of gelation conditions on the structures and properties. The dense top layer as well as porous supporting layer can be made by duel-bath coagulation method simultaneous- ly. Different internal quench medium obtained different membrane with different structures. With the increase in time in the first coagulation bath, pure water flux decreased and the clearance rates of urea and creatinine both first increased then decreased and increased slightly in the end. With the temperature of the second coagtdation bath increasing, pure water flux increases and the clearance rates of urea and creatinine first increases then de- creases and increases a little at last. Higher DMSO concentration （wt/wt） in the second coagulation bath results in the increase of pure water flux and the decrease of urea ＆ creatinine clearance rates.     

Roles of soluble and insoluble aggregates induced by soy protein processing in the gelation of myofibrillar protein

The role of soluble and insoluble aggregates induced by soy protein isolate (SPI) processing in the gelling properties of myofibrillar protein (MP) was studied. Incorporating soluble SPI aggregate could greatly improve (P < 0.05) the elastic modulus (G’) and water‐holding capacity (WHC) of MP gel, but had no notable effect on MP gel strength. In contrast, incorporating the insoluble SPI aggregate significantly enhanced the G’, strength and WHC of MP gel, although the improvement in WHC was smaller than that produced by the soluble aggregate. The results of environmental scanning electron microscopy showed that the soluble SPI aggregate induced a less randomly composite gel structure, which may explain its notable enhancement of WHC. However, the insoluble SPI aggregate appeared to be granules embedded in the continuous MP gel matrix, which may be related to the reinforcement of gel strength. Hence, the results of this study suggest further means of processing commercial SPI for use in meat products.     

Isothermal rheokinetic study of a precured resol resin beyond gelation by torsion

The rheokinetics of the curing process of a resol resin was studied through isothermal analysis. The resin was subjected to a curing pretreatment until gelation was reached. Rectangular torsion was chosen as the appropriate strain form to carry out the study of the resin's curing kinetics, because the viscoelastic behavior of the material was closer to an ideal solid than to a Newtonian fluid. Seven operating temperatures were selected for analysis (80–110°C). The Arrhenius and Kiuna rheokinetic models were applied to the resin's complex viscosity (η*) evolution during the crosslinking of polymer. The resol resin had curing activation energies of 62.6 and 65.8 kJ/mol when the Arrhenius model was applied in four‐ and six‐parameter forms, respectively. The Kiuna model was proposed to fit the nonlinear viscosity region found at the highest temperatures. This model was suitable to predict changes in the resin's complex viscosity, obtaining a curing activation energy of 69.5 kJ/mol for the resin. In addition, the evolution of the degree of mechanical curing was obtained from the elastic modulus, rather than from the more common DSC technique. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Characterization of Calcium Alginate Beads Containing Structurally Similar Drugs

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of alginate beads prepared by ionotropic gelation in which structurally similar drugs were incorporated. For this purpose theophylline and theobromine were selected as model drugs. The influence of incorporated drugs on bead characteristics such as size, shape, and morphology, as well as encapsulation efficiency, was examined. It was found that theobromine as well as theophylline content in beads significantly decreased with increasing hardening time due to drug diffusion into the hardening media. In theobromine beads the drug content was extremely improved by dropping the alginate and drug solution into an acidic calcium chloride solution, while theophylline content was to some extent improved by the hardening of beads in a calcium chloride solution saturated with the drug. The most evident difference between theophylline and theobromine beads was in their shape and morphology. Theobromine beads were round, while theophylline ones had an irregular shape with an extremely wrinkled surface. The distinction in shape was highly dependent on drug content. Additionally, it was demonstrated that beads' shape was dependent on preparation conditions as well. On the basis of x-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses and scanning electron microscope (SEM) photographs it was found that the most of the drug in bead was present in an amorphous state. Therefore, it is suggested that some drug–alginate interactions could be present in beads and might be responsible for the different shape of theophylline and theobromine beads.

Thus it can be concluded that the preparation of beads by ionotropic gelation cannot be generalized even though structurally similar drugs are incorporated.     

Design of whey protein nanostructures for incorporation and release of nutraceutical compounds in food

Whey proteins are widely used as nutritional and functional ingredients in formulated foods because they are relatively inexpensive, generally recognized as safe (GRAS) ingredient, and possess important biological, physical, and chemical functionalities. Denaturation and aggregation behavior of these proteins is of particular relevance toward manufacture of novel nanostructures with a number of potential uses. When these processes are properly engineered and controlled, whey proteins may be formed into nanohydrogels, nanofibrils, or nanotubes and be used as carrier of bioactive compounds. This review intends to discuss the latest understandings of nanoscale phenomena of whey protein denaturation and aggregation that may contribute for the design of protein nanostructures. Whey protein aggregation and gelation pathways under different processing and environmental conditions such as microwave heating, high voltage, and moderate electrical fields, high pressure, temperature, pH, and ionic strength were critically assessed. Moreover, several potential applications of nanohydrogels, nanofibrils, and nanotubes for controlled release of nutraceutical compounds (e.g. probiotics, vitamins, antioxidants, and peptides) were also included. Controlling the size of protein networks at nanoscale through application of different processing and environmental conditions can open perspectives for development of nanostructures with new or improved functionalities for incorporation and release of nutraceuticals in food matrices.     

油田用延时性高黏凝胶制备方法研究

基于改性淀粉凝胶于调剖堵水、封堵、钻完井等方面优异的使用性能及应用前景。以淀粉、丙烯酰胺(AM)为原料,偶氮二异丁腈(AIBN)为引发剂,利用淀粉同烯类单体进行接枝共聚,通过交联剂来实现共价键交联,在实验室条件下合成一种适用于中、高温油藏,成胶时间延时至2 h内可控的高强度的改性淀粉凝胶。研究了引发剂的用量、交联剂的用量、反应温度、p H值对胶体成胶性能(体系黏度和成胶时间)的影响。结果表明:在引发剂质量分数介于0.04%~0.06%,交联剂质量分数在5.1%左右,反应温度为80℃,体系p H为10时所制得的聚合物胶体性能最佳,其体系黏度对应为1 950×103 m Pa·s。     

高性能双组份环氧树脂固化动力学研究和TTT图绘制

用全动态DSC 研究了先进复合材料用高性能双组份环氧树脂的固化反应动力学, 获得了固化反应的动力学参数, 并建立了固化动力学的唯象模型。用恒温DSC 和动态DSC 结合DiBenedetto 方程研究了树脂玻璃化转变温度和固化度之间的关系, 并给出了玻璃化转变温度T_g和时间t 及温度T 之间的数学关系。通过DMA 研究了树脂恒温下的凝胶过程, 给出了凝胶时间tgel 和凝胶温度T 之间的关系, 回归得到凝胶时的固化度为α_gel =0.4539 , 并以此计算出了T_g ,gel = 70. 18 ℃, 为工艺选择提供了依据。并在此基础上绘制出了该树脂体系的TTT图, 提出了将TTT 图用于工艺优化的思路, 并做了初步验证。      

大豆分离蛋白制备过程中热处理及干燥方式对其热聚集行为和凝胶性能的影响

该研究以低温脱脂豆粕为原料,采用“碱溶酸沉”法收集大豆蛋白沉淀,对其进行分散、热处理和喷雾干燥或冷冻干燥制备获得大豆分离蛋白（SPI）。通过观察该产品的热聚集行为及其所成热致凝胶机械性能,考察热处理和干燥方式对所得产品凝胶性能的影响。结果表明,热处理使制得大豆分离蛋白多以聚集体的形式存在,导致其溶解性（pH值7.0）分别从79.9%和69.8%下降至35.2%和42.0%。相对于经过热处理制得的大豆分离蛋白,未经过热处理制得的大豆分离蛋白其差示扫描量热仪分析图存在78℃和98℃吸热峰;其分散液再次经历热处理后,分散液中蛋白的体积分数约从30%下降至20%,展现出进一步聚集并形成有序结构的趋势;对于质量分数为16%的喷雾干燥大豆分离蛋白（SD-SPI）和冷冻干燥大豆分离蛋白（FD-SPI）样品分散液所制备的凝胶,其断裂应力分别为10.80 kPa和12.50 kPa,显著高于对应HSD-SPI（经热处理）凝胶的3.69 kPa和HFD-SPI（经热处理）的4.36 kPa,但后两者硬度高于前两者。另一方面,干燥方式没有对所得大豆分离蛋白的凝胶性质产生显著的影响。可见,大豆分离蛋白制备过程...     

地皮菜添加量对鸡胸肉糜凝胶特性的影响

以新鲜鸡胸肉为实验对象,探究地皮菜添加量对鸡胸肉糜蒸煮得率、保水性、色泽、质构、凝胶强度、流变特性和微观结构等的影响.结果表明:随着地皮菜添加量的增加,鸡胸肉糜的蒸煮得率和保水性呈先上升后下降的趋势,添加量在1.2％时最大,分别为95.71％和95.33％;鸡胸肉糜的L*值、a*值、b*值均显著降低(P＜0.05);硬...