Phase Equilibration in ZrO2-Y2O3 Alloys by Liquid-Film Migration

The tetragonal ( t ) and cubic ( c ) ZrO₂ solid solutions in two-phase ZrO₂-8 wt% Y₂O₃ ceramics have low and high solute content, respectively. Annealing samples sintered at 1600°C between 700° and 1400°C requires a change in the volume fraction of the coexisting phases, as well as their equilibrium Y₂O₃ content. The enrichment in Y₂O₃ content of the c -ZrO₂ grains is accomplished by liquid-film migration involving the ubiquitous silicate grain-boundary phase, while the volume fraction of t -ZrO₂ increases by the nucleation and growth of cap-shaped t -ZrO₂ lenses. The interfaces between the c -ZrO₂ matrix and the growing t -ZrO₂ lenses are semicoherent.     

Production of Microbiologically Stable Apple Juice by Metallic Membrane Ultrafiltration

The potential for production of microbiologically stable apple juice by metallic membrane ultrafiltration was assessed. Thermal sterilization treatments caused no detectable changes in membrane performance. Sterile membranes were challenged with approximately 3 × 10⁶ colony forming units per gram of each of three organisms, Pseudomonas diminuta, Bacillus coagulans, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, suspended in apple puree or peptone. Reductions achieved by ultrafiltration of peptone at operating pressure were 5.1, 7.6, and >9.0 logs for the three organisms, respectively. Reductions of organisms in apple puree were at least 1.5 logs greater. Metallic membranes eliminated yeasts and molds from juice. Apple juice produced from uninoculated apple puree was stable at 20–25°C for 1 yr.     

Modelling the dynamic response of a solid oxide steam electrolyser to transient inputs during renewable hydrogen production

Hydrogen is regarded as a leading candidate for alternative future fuels. Solid oxide electrolyser cells (SOEC) may provide a cost-effective and green route to hydrogen production especially when coupled to a source of renewable electrical energy. Developing an understanding of the response of the SOEC stack to transient events that may occur during its operation with intermittent electricity input is essential before the realisation of this technology. In this paper, a one-dimensional (1D) dynamic model of a planar SOEC stack has been employed to study the dynamic behaviour of such an SOEC and the prospect for stack temperature control through variation of the air flow rate. Step changes in the average current density from 1.0 to 0.75, 0.5 and 0.2 A/cm² have been imposed on the stacks, replicating the situation in which changes in the supply of input electrical energy are experienced, or the sudden switch-off of the stack. Such simulations have been performed both for open-loop and closed-loop cases. The stack temperature and cell voltage are decreased by step changes in the average current density. Without temperature control via variation of the air flow rate, a sudden fall of the temperature and the cell potential occurs during all the step changes in average current density. The temperature excursions between the initial and final steady states are observed to be reduced by the manipulation of the air flow rate. Provided that the change in the average current density does not result in a transition from exothermic to endothermic operation of the SOEC, the use of the air flow rate to maintain a constant steady-state temperature is found to be successful.     

Immunoassays for Bowman-Birk and Kunitz Soybean Trypsin Inhibitors in Infant Formula

ABSTRACT: Because the consumption of soybean inhibitors of digestive enzymes in processed foods may have both beneficial and adverse health-related effects, reliable and rapid analytical methods for these inhibitors are needed. Monoclonal antibody-based sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were developed for the 2 major soybean protease inhibitors, the Kunitz trypsin inhibitor (KTI) and Bowman-Birk inhibitor (BBI) of trypsin and chymotrypsin. The ELISAs had limits of quantification of approximately 1 and 3 ng/mL for BBI and KTI, respectively, and were used to measure active inhibitors in soy infant formulas. Results were compared with enzymatic analyses and demonstrated that most of the trypsin- and chymotrypsin-inhibitory activities of infant formula were due to constituents other than KTI and BBI. The sandwich ELISA for BBI was also effective in detecting soybean germplasm with atypically low levels of BBI.