Fabrication toward Stable Perovskite Solar Cells with Efficiency over 20% under Open Air via In-situ Polymerized Bi-functional Additive

Essentially, detrimental defects distributed at perovskite surface and grain boundaries (GBs) directly impede the further enhancement of both the photovoltaic performance and long-term stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein,...

Mechanically Reinforced, Flexible, Hydrophobic and UV Impermeable Starch-Cellulose Nanofibers (CNF)-Lignin Composites with Good Barrier and Thermal Properties

Bio-based composite films have been widely studied as potential substitutes for conventional plastics in food packaging. The aim of this study was to develop multifunctional composite films by introducing cellulose nanofibers (CNF) and lignin into starch-based films. Instead of costly and complicated chemical modification or covalent coupling, this study optimized the performance of the composite films by simply tuning the formulation. We found that starch films were mechanically reinforced by CNF, with lignin dispersing as nanoparticles embedded in the matrix. The newly built-up hydrogen bonding between these three components improves the integration of the films, while the introduction of CNF and lignin improved the thermal stability of the starch-based films. Lignin, as a functional additive, improved hydrophobicity and blocked UV transmission. The inherent barrier property of CNF and the dense starch matrix provided the composite films with good gas barrier properties. The prepared flexible films were optically transparent, and exhibited UV blocking ability, good oxygen-barrier properties, high hydrophobicity, appreciable mechanical strength and good thermal stability. These characteristics indicate potential utilization as a green alternative to synthetic plastics especially for food packaging applications.

Multivariate functional additive mixed models

Multivariate functional data can be intrinsically multivariate like movement trajectories in 2D or complementary such as precipitation, temperature and wind speeds over time at a given weather station. We propose a multivariate functional additive mixed model (multiFAMM) and show its application to both data situations using examples from sports science (movement trajectories of snooker players) and phonetic science (acoustic signals and articulation of consonants). The approach includes linear and nonlinear covariate effects and models the dependency structure between the dimensions of the responses using multivariate functional principal component analysis. Multivariate functional random intercepts capture both the auto-correlation within a given function and cross-correlations between the multivariate functional dimensions. They also allow us to model between-function correlations as induced by, for example, repeated measurements or crossed study designs. Modelling the dependency structure between the dimensions can generate additional insight into the properties of the multivariate functional process, improves the estimation of random effects, and yields corrected confidence bands for covariate effects. Extensive simulation studies indicate that a multivariate modelling approach is more parsimonious than fitting independent univariate models to the data while maintaining or improving model fit.

The Influence of Hazelnut Skin Addition on Quality Properties and Antioxidant Activity of Functional Yogurt

There is an increasing interest in applying fruit-processing wastes as functional food ingredients. Hazelnut skin, an interesting and innovative ingredient has recently been evaluated as one of the richest edible sources of polyphenolic compounds. This study aimed to evaluate the use of hazelnut skin as a functional additive in yogurt and to determine the effect of various percentages (2%, 3%, and 4%) of hazelnut skin on the physicochemical, microbiological, rheological, biochemical, and sensorial properties of yogurt. The results showed that the addition of hazelnut skin significantly increased total solids from 16.5% to 17.7% and fat content from 3.45% to 4.60% and decreased titratable acidity by up to 36%. The enrichment with hazelnut skin also improved the viability of yogurt bacteria, water holding capacity (WHC), and antioxidant activity of yogurts. Better results for WHC and antioxidant values were found in yogurt enriched with 4% hazelnut skin. Total phenolic content and Fe2+ chelating activity of yogurts increased with the increasing hazelnut skin ratio. However, yogurts with hazelnut skin had low instrumental texture parameters and apparent viscosity values. On the other hand, acceptable sensorial properties similar to control yogurts increase the consumption potential of yogurts enriched with hazelnut skin.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE FORMULATION FOR ICE CREAM WITH THE FRUITS OF THE ELAEAGNUS ANGUSTIFOLIA

Недостатком состава классического мороженого является отсутствие в нем биологически активных веществ. Исследован биохимический состав плодов лоха узколистного (Elaeagnus angustifolia), собранных в 2020 г. в Самарской области в период полного созревания, для использования в качестве обогащающей добавки мороженого. Установлено, что в плодах лоха массовая доля аскорбиновой кислоты составляет 39,8 мг/100 г, содержание фенольных веществ – 280,99 мг галловой кислоты на 100 г сырья. Показатель восстанавливающей силы в плодах лоха, исследованной по методу FRAP, составляет 4,12 ммоль Fe2+ на 1 кг сырья. Это свидетельствует о возможности использования плодов лоха узколистного в качестве функциональной добавки для повышения биологической ценности продукта. Разработаны 3 рецептуры мороженого: с добавлением пюре из плодов лоха в количестве 14 и 16% от массы рецептуры и без добавок – контрольный образец. Исследовали органолептические и физико-химические показатели мороженого, полученного по разработанным рецептурам. Установлено, что образцы мороженого с добавлением пюре из плодов лоха узколистного имели слабо выраженный аромат растительного сырья, сладкий вкус с приятной свежестью, однородную консистенцию с ощущением мякоти плодов лоха при разжевывании. Причем в образце с добавлением 14% пюре из плодов лоха вяжущий вкус и частицы мякоти растительного сырья при разжевывании ощущались сильнее, чем в образце с добавлением 16%, который имел более сбалансированный состав. Добавление 16% пюре из мякоти плодов лоха в рецептуру мороженого существенно повышает значение показателя кислотности продукта, которое, однако, не превышает предельно допустимого, позволяет на 20% снизить содержание добавленного сахара в мороженом и в 2 раза увеличить его сопротивление таянию по сравнению с контрольным образцом. The disadvantage of the composition of classic ice cream is the lack of biologically active substances in it. The biochemical composition of the fruits of the Elaeagnus angustifolia, collected in 2020 in the Samara region during the full ripening period, for use as an enriching additive in ice cream, was studied. It was found that the mass fraction of ascorbic acid in the fruit of the Elaeagnus is 39,8 mg/100 g, the content of phenolic substances is 280,99 mg of gallic acid per 100 g of raw materials. The indicator of the restoring force in the fruits of the Elaeagnus, studied by the FRAP method, is 4,12 mmol of Fe2+ions per 1 kg of raw materials. This indicates the possibility of using the fruits of the Elaeagnus angustifolia as a functional additive to increase the biological value of the product. 3 ice cream formulations have been developed: with the addition of puree from sucker fruit in the amount of 14 and 16% of the mass of the formulation and without additives – a control sample. The organoleptic and physico-chemical parameters of ice cream obtained according to the developed formulations were studied. It was found that the samples of ice cream with the addition of puree from the fruits of the Elaeagnus angustifolia had a weakly pronounced aroma of vegetable raw materials, a sweet taste with a pleasant freshness, a homogeneous consistency with a feeling of the pulp of the fruit of the Elaeagnus angustifolia when chewing. Moreover, in the sample with the addition of 14% puree from the fruit of the Elaeagnus angustifolia, the astringent taste and particles of the pulp of vegetable raw materials were felt more strongly during chewing than in the sample with the addition of 16%, which had a more balanced composition. The addition of 16% puree from the pulp of the Elaeagnus angustifolia fruit to the ice cream formulation significantly increases the value of its acidity index, which, however, does not exceed the maximum permissible, allows you to reduce the added sugar content in the ice cream by 20% and increase its melting resistance by 2 times compared to the control sample.