Double emulsion (W/O/W) gel stabilised by polyglycerol polyricinoleate and calcium caseinate as mangiferin carrier: insights on formulation and stability properties

Mangiferin (MGF) is a phenolic compound isolated from mango, but its poor solubility significantly limits its use. In this study, MGF was embedded into the inner aqueous phase of W₁/O/W₂ emulsions. Firstly, the dissolution method of MGF was determined. MGF remained stable in solution with pH 13 at 30 min, and its solubility reached 10 mg mL⁻¹. When the pH of MGF solutions was adjusted from pH 13 to pH 6, MGF did not immediately crystallise, providing sufficient time to construct the MGF-loaded W₁/O/W₂ emulsions. Subsequently, the MGF-loaded W₁/O/W₂ emulsions were constructed using polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) and calcium caseinate (CAS). The formation and stability of the W₁/O/W₂ emulsions were investigated. The MGF-loaded W₁/O/W₂ emulsions stabilised with 1% PGPR and 1% – 3% CAS exhibited a low viscosity, limited loading capacity, and poor stability. Conversely, the MGF-loaded W₁/O/W₂ emulsions stabilised by 3%PGPR–3%CAS exhibited optimal loading capacity (encapsulation efficiency = 95.31% and loading efficiency = 0.91%) and stability, which was attributed to the fact that high viscosity and gel state retarded the migration of inner aqueous phase. These results indicated that the W₁/O/W₂ emulsions stabilised by PGPR and CAS may be a potential alternative for encapsulating mangiferin.     

Nanogrooved carbon microtubes for wet three‐dimensional printing of conductive composite structures

Recent advances in three‐dimensional (3D) printing have enabled the fabrication of interesting structures which are not achievable using traditional fabrication approaches. The 3D printing of carbon microtube composite inks allows fabrication of conductive structures for practical applications in soft robotics and tissue engineering. However, it is challenging to achieve 3D printed structures from solution‐based composite inks, which requires an additional process to solidify the ink. Here, we introduce a wet 3D printing technique which uses a coagulation bath to fabricate carbon microtube composite structures. We show that through a facile nanogrooving approach which introduces cavitation and channels on carbon microtubes, enhanced interfacial interactions with a chitosan polymer matrix are achieved. Consequently, the mechanical properties of the 3D printed composites improve when nanogrooved carbon microtubes are used, compared to untreated microtubes. We show that by carefully controlling the coagulation bath, extrusion pressure, printing distance and printed line distance, we can 3D print composite lattices which are composed of well‐defined and separated printed lines. The conductive composite 3D structures with highly customised design presented in this work provide a suitable platform for applications ranging from soft robotics to smart tissue engineering scaffolds. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

节能型燃煤工业锅炉尾气处理装置的分析与应用

针对燃煤工业锅炉尾气处理装置存在的不足,分析一种节能型燃煤工业锅炉尾气处理装置.对该装置的结构、工作原理、特点进行了分析.将该装置安装应用在云岗矿燃煤工业锅炉上,污染物减排效果明显,为企业创造了较好的社会经济效益.     

Pricing and personal data collection strategies of online platforms in the face of privacy concerns

Electronic Commerce Research - We consider a platform providing free content for users and earning profit from the sale of advertising. The platform can collect and analyze personal data to...     

An Optimized Combination of Mine Water Control,Treatment, Utilization,and Reinjection for Environmentally Sustainable Mining: A Case Study

This paper presents a case study of an optimized combination of mine water control, treatment, utilization and reinjection to achieve the zero discharge of mine water. Mine water has been considered a hazard and pollution source during underground mining, so most mining enterprises directly discharge mine water to the surface after simple treatment, resulting in a serious waste of water. Moreover, discharging a large amount of mine water can destroy the original groundwater balance and cause serious environmental problems, such as surface subsidence, water resource reduction and contamination, and adverse impacts on biodiversity. The Zhongguan iron mine is in the major groundwater source area of the Hundred Springs of Xingtai, which is an area with a high risk of potential subsidence. To optimize the balance between mining and groundwater resources, a series of engineering measures was adopted by the Zhongguan iron mine to realize mine water control, treatment, utilization, and reinjection. The installation of a closed grout curtain has greatly reduced the water yield of deep stopes in the mine; the effective sealing efficiency reaches 80%. Nanofiltration membrane separation was adopted to treat the highly mineralized mine water; the quality of the produced water meets China’s recommended class II groundwater standard. Low-grade heat energy from the mine water is collected and utilized through a water-source heat pump system. Finally, zero mine water discharge is realized through mine water reinjection. This research provides a beneficial reference for mines with similar geological and hydrogeological conditions to achieve environmentally sustainable mining.

     

The surface carboxyl group of carbonaceous microspheres effects on the synthesis and structure of SiOC ceramics

In this study, C/SiOC and C/SiO₂ composites were prepared by using carbonaceous microspheres with different surface functional groups. Carbonaceous microspheres based on hydrothermal reaction of glucose contains hydroxyl group, while the surface carboxyl group increases after NaOH etching. The hydroxyl group increases the oxygen-enriched structural units of SiOC ceramics, and the C spheres are closely enwrapped in SiOC matrix after pyrolysis at 900 °C. However, the interfacial reaction of surface carboxyl with Si–OH results in the formation of cristobalite SiO₂, and C spheres are not only encased inside the SiOC matrix, but also dispersed outside of SiOC ceramics. After removal of C via calcination at 500 °C for 5 h, C/SiOC and C/SiO₂ composites are transformed into amorphous SiO₂ and cristobalite SiO₂, respectively. The thermogravimetric analysis indicates the oxidation resistance of SiOC is superior to that of C and SiO₂.     

Fire safe,sustainable loose furnishing

The aim of this exploratory study has been to investigate the fire properties and environmental aspects of different upholstery material combinations, mainly for domestic applications. An analysis of the sustainability and circularity of selected textiles, along with lifecycle assessment, is used to qualitatively evaluate materials from an environmental perspective. The cone calorimeter was the primary tool used to screen 20 different material combinations from a fire performance perspective. It was found that textile covers of conventional fibres such as wool, cotton and polyester, can be improved by blending them with fire resistant speciality fibres. A new three‐dimensional web structure has been examined as an alternative padding material, showing preliminary promising fire properties with regard to ignition time, heat release rates and smoke production.