scholarly journals Green Husk of Walnuts (Juglans regia L.) from Southern Italy as a Valuable Source for the Recovery of Glucans and Pectins

Fermentation ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 305
Author(s):  
Chiara La Torre ◽  
Paolino Caputo ◽  
Pierluigi Plastina ◽  
Erika Cione ◽  
Alessia Fazio

Walnut green husk is an agricultural waste produced during the walnut (Juglans regia L.) harvest, that could be valued as a source of high-value compounds. In this respect, walnut green husks from two areas of Southern Italy (Montalto Uffugo and Zumpano), with different soil conditions, were investigated. Glucans and pectins were isolated from dry walnut husks by carrying out alkaline and acidic extractions, respectively, and then they were characterized by FT-IR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The colorimetric method for the enzymatic measurement of α- and β-glucans was performed. The maximum total glucan yield was recovered from Montalto walnut husks (4.6 ± 0.2 g/100 g DM) with a β-glucan percentage (6.3 ± 0.4) higher than that calculated for Zumpano walnut husks (3.6 ± 0.5). Thermal analysis (DSC) confirmed the higher degree of crystallinity of glucans from Zumpano. The pectin content for Montalto husks was found to be 2.6 times that of Zumpano husks, and the esterification degree was more than 65%. The results suggested that J. regia L. green husks could be a source of glucans and pectins, whose content and morphological and thermal characteristics were influenced by different soil and climate conditions.

2021 ◽  
Vol 285 ◽  
pp. 07034
Author(s):  
Yulia Tertyshnaya ◽  
Maksim Zakharov ◽  
Alina Ivanitskikh ◽  
Anatoliy Popov

In the work an eco-friendly non-woven fiber made of polylactide and natural rubber with a rubber content from 0 to 15 wt.% was obtained by electrospinning. The influence of distilled water and UV irradiation on the agrofibers has been investigated. The water sorption test showed that the addition of natural rubber into the polylactide matrix does not significantly affect the degree of water absorption of the fibrous materials, which is in the range of 49-50.6%. Thermal characteristics after 180 days of degradation in distilled water at 22±2 oC and UV irradiation at a wavelength of 365 nm during 100 hours were determined using the differential scanning calorimetry. Changes in the values for glass transition and melting temperatures, and the degree of crystallinity were determined.


2019 ◽  
pp. 089270571987919
Author(s):  
Volodymyr Krasinskyi ◽  
Ivan Gajdos ◽  
Oleh Suberlyak ◽  
Viktoria Antoniuk ◽  
Tomasz Jachowicz

The structure and thermal characteristics of nanocomposites based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and montmorillonite (MMT) intercalated with polyvinylpyrrolidone were investigated by X-ray diffraction analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The modification of PVA with intercalated MMT reduces the degree of crystallinity of the resulting nanocomposites but significantly increases their thermal stability. Under ultrasound, the intercalated MMT was completely distributed in a PVA solution and formed a monocrystalline structure. Films based on PVA with modified MMT were cross-linked at 110°C in the presence of 5 wt% acrylic acid and 0.5 wt% Ferrous(II) sulfate as an initiator. The formed films have a homogeneous cross-linked structure.


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 461
Author(s):  
Yulia Tertyshnaya ◽  
Maria Podzorova ◽  
Maksim Moskovskiy

A nonwoven fiber made of polylactide/natural rubber with a rubber content from 0 to 15 wt.% was obtained by electrospinning from a solution. The water sorption test showed that the addition of natural rubber into the polylactide matrix did not significantly affect the degree of water absorption of the fibers, which was in the range of 48.9–50.6%. The melt flow rate only increased by 0.5 g/10 min at a content of 15 wt.% natural rubber. The thermal characteristics after 120 days of degradation in distilled water and UV irradiation (50 h) at a wavelength of 365 nm were determined using differential scanning calorimetry. Changes in the values of the phase transition temperatures and the degree of crystallinity were determined. It was determined that the fiber samples from all compositions retained the propensity for photo- and hydrolytic degradation.


Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 99
Author(s):  
Konstantinos N. Raftopoulos ◽  
Edyta Hebda ◽  
Anna Grzybowska ◽  
Panagiotis A. Klonos ◽  
Apostolos Kyritsis ◽  
...  

A star polymer with a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanne (POSS) core and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) vertex groups is incorporated in a polyurethane with flexible hard segments in-situ during the polymerization process. The blends are studied in terms of morphology, molecular dynamics, and charge mobility. The methods utilized for this purpose are scanning electron and atomic force microscopies (SEM, AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and to a larger extent dielectric relaxation spectroscopy (DRS). It is found that POSS reduces the degree of crystallinity of the hard segments. Contrary to what was observed in a similar system with POSS pendent along the main chain, soft phase calorimetric glass transition temperature drops as a result of plasticization, and homogenization of the soft phase by the star molecules. The dynamic glass transition though, remains practically unaffected, and a hypothesis is formed to resolve the discrepancy, based on the assumption of different thermal and dielectric responses of slow and fast modes of the system. A relaxation α′, slower than the bulky segmental α and common in polyurethanes, appears here too. A detailed analysis of dielectric spectra provides some evidence that this relaxation has cooperative character. An additional relaxation g, which is not commonly observed, accompanies the Maxwell Wagner Sillars interfacial polarization process, and has dynamics similar to it. POSS is found to introduce conductivity and possibly alter its mechanism. The study points out that different architectures of incorporation of POSS in polyurethane affect its physical properties by different mechanisms.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 2368
Author(s):  
Hegoi Amestoy ◽  
Paul Diego ◽  
Emilio Meaurio ◽  
Jone Muñoz ◽  
Jose-Ramon Sarasua

Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) was mixed with submicron particles of barium sulfate to obtain biodegradable radiopaque composites. X-ray images comparing with aluminum samples show that 15 wt.% barium sulfate (BaSO4) is sufficient to present radiopacity. Thermal studies by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) show a statistically significant increase in PCL degree of crystallinity from 46% to 52% for 25 wt.% BaSO4. Non-isothermal crystallization tests were performed at different cooling rates to evaluate crystallization kinetics. The nucleation effect of BaSO4 was found to change the morphology and quantity of the primary crystals of PCL, which was also corroborated by the use of a polarized light optical microscope (PLOM). These results fit well with Avrami–Ozawa–Jeziorny model and show a secondary crystallization that contributes to an increase in crystal fraction with internal structure reorganization. The addition of barium sulfate particles in composite formulations with PCL improves stiffness but not strength for all compositions due to possible cavitation effects induced by debonding of reinforcement interphase.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
pp. 1958
Author(s):  
Jolanta Tomaszewska-Gras ◽  
Mahbuba Islam ◽  
Liliana Grzeca ◽  
Anna Kaczmarek ◽  
Emilia Fornal

The aim of this study was to describe the thermal properties of selected cultivars of flaxseed oil by the use of the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique. The crystallization and melting profiles were analyzed depending on different scanning rates (1, 2, 5 °C/min) as well as oxidative induction time (OIT) isothermally at 120 °C and 140 °C, and oxidation onset temperatures (Ton) at 2 and 5 °C/min were measured. The crystallization was manifested as a single peak, differing for a cooling rate of 1 and 2 °C/min. The melting curves were more complex with differences among the cultivars for a heating rate of 1 and 2 °C/min, while for 5 °C/min, the profiles did not differ, which could be utilized in analytics for profiling in order to assess the authenticity of the flaxseed oil. Moreover, it was observed that flaxseed oil was highly susceptible to thermal oxidation, and its stability decreased with increasing temperature and decreasing heating rate. Significant negative linear correlations were found between unsaturated fatty acid content (C18:2, C18:3 n-3) and DSC parameters (OIT, Ton). Principal component analysis (PCA) also established a strong correlation between total oxidation value (TOTOX), peroxide value (PV) and all DSC parameters of thermo-oxidative stability.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emi Govorčin Bajsić ◽  
Vesna Rek ◽  
Ivana Ćosić

The effect of the addition of talc on the morphology and thermal properties of blends of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and polypropylene (PP) was investigated. The blends of TPU and PP are incompatible because of large differences in polarities between the nonpolar crystalline PP and polar TPU and high interfacial tensions. The interaction between TPU and PP can be improved by using talc as reinforcing filler. The morphology was observed by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The thermal properties of the neat polymers and unfilled and talc filled TPU/PP blends were studied by using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The addition of talc in TPU/PP blends improved miscibility in all investigated TPU/T/PP blends. The DSC results for talc filled TPU/PP blends show that the degree of crystallinity increased, which is due to the nucleating effect induced by talc particles. The reason for the increased storage modulus of blends with the incorporation of talc is due to the improved interface between polymers and filler. According to TGA results, the addition of talc enhanced thermal stability. The homogeneity of the talc filled TPU/PP blends is better than unfilled TPU/PP blends.


Plant Methods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Miricescu ◽  
Tomás Byrne ◽  
Catherine M. Doorly ◽  
Carl K. Y. Ng ◽  
Susanne Barth ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Crop yield is dependent on climate conditions, which are becoming both more variable and extreme in some areas of the world as a consequence of global climate change. Increased precipitation and flooding events are the cause of important yield losses due to waterlogging or (partial) submergence of crops in the field. Our ability to screen efficiently and quickly for varieties that have increased tolerance to waterlogging or (partial) submergence is important. Barley, a staple crop worldwide, is particularly sensitive to waterlogging. Screening for waterlogging tolerant barley varieties has been ongoing for many years, but methods used to screen vary greatly, from the type of soil used to the time at which the treatment is applied. This variation makes it difficult to cross-compare results. Results Here, we have devised a scoring system to assess barley tolerance to waterlogging and compare two different methods when partial submergence is applied with either water or a starch solution at an early developmental stage, which is particularly sensitive to waterlogging or partial submergence. The use of a starch solution has been previously shown to result in more reducing soil conditions and has been used to screen for waterlogging tolerance. Conclusions Our results show that the two methods provide similar results to qualitatively rank varieties as tolerant or sensitive, while also affecting plants differently, in that application of a starch solution results in stronger and earlier symptoms than applying partial submergence with water.


Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 22
Author(s):  
Artur Kościuszko ◽  
Dawid Marciniak ◽  
Dariusz Sykutera

Dimensions of the injection-molded semi-crystalline materials (polymeric products) decrease with the time that elapses from their formation. The post-molding shrinkage is an effect of secondary crystallization; the increase in the degree of polymer crystallinity leads to an increase in stiffness and decrease in impact strength of the polymer material. The aim of this study was to assess the changes in the values of post-molding shrinkage of polypropylene produced by injection molding at two different temperatures of the mold (20 °C and 80 °C), and conditioned for 504 h at 23 °C. Subsequently, the samples were annealed for 24 h at 140 °C in order to conduct their accelerated aging. The results of shrinkage tests were related to the changes of mechanical properties that accompany the secondary crystallization. The degree of crystallinity of the conditioned samples was determined by means of density measurements and differential scanning calorimetry. It was found that the changes in the length of the moldings that took place after removal from the injection mold were accompanied by an increase of 20% in the modulus of elasticity, regardless of the conditions under which the samples were made. The differences in the shrinkage and mechanical properties of the samples resulting from mold temperature, as determined by tensile test, were removed by annealing. However, the samples made at two different injection mold temperature values still significantly differed in impact strength, the values of which were clearly higher for the annealed samples compared to the results determined for the samples immediately after the injection molding.


Crystals ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Waseem Saeed ◽  
Abdel-Basit Al-Odayni ◽  
Abdulaziz Alghamdi ◽  
Ali Alrahlah ◽  
Taieb Aouak

New poly (δ-valerolactone)/titanium dioxide (PDVL/TiO2) nanocomposites with different TiO2 nanoparticle loadings were prepared by the solvent-casting method and characterized by Fourier transform infra-red, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetry analyses. The results obtained reveal good dispersion of TiO2 nanoparticles in the polymer matrix and non-formation of new crystalline structures indicating the stability of the crystallinity of TiO2 in the composite. A significant increase in the degree of crystallinity was observed with increasing TiO2 content. The non-isothermal crystallization kinetics of the PDVL/TiO2 system indicate that the crystallization process involves the simultaneous occurrence of two- and three-dimensional spherulitic growths. The thermal degradation analysis of this nanocomposite reveals a significant improvement in the thermal stability with increasing TiO2 loading.


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