Tailoring the Stabilization and Pyrolysis Processes of Carbon Molecular Sieve Membrane Derived from Polyacrylonitrile for Ethylene/Ethane Separation

For ethylene/ethane separation, a CMS (carbon molecular sieve) membrane was developed with a PAN (polyacrylonitrile) polymer precursor on an alumina support. To provide an excellent thermal property to PAN precursor prior to the pyrolysis, the stabilization as a pre-treatment process was carried out. Tuning the stabilization condition was very important to successfully preparing the CMS membrane derived from the PAN precursor. The stabilization and pyrolysis processes for the PAN precursor were finely tuned, and optimized in terms of stabilization temperature and time, as well as pyrolysis temperature, heating rate, and soaking time. The PAN stabilized at >250 °C showed improved thermal stability and carbon yield. The CMS membrane derived from stabilized PAN showed reasonable separation performance for ethylene permeance (0.71 GPU) and ethylene/ethane selectivity (7.62), respectively. Increasing the pyrolysis temperature and soaking time gave rise to an increase in the gas permeance, and a reduction in the membrane selectivity. This trend was opposite to that for the CMS membranes derived from other polymer precursors. The optimized separation performance (ethylene permeance of 2.97 GPU and ethylene/ethane selectivity of 7.25) could be achieved at the pyrolysis temperature of 650 °C with a soaking time of 1 h. The separation performance of the CMS membrane derived from the PAN precursor was comparable to that of other polymer precursors, and surpassed them regarding the upper bound trade off.

Optimization of Microwave Pre-Cooked Conditions for Gelatinization of Adzuki Bean

Pre-cooked adzuki beans (Vigna angularis), which looks like dried adzuki bean, is easily cooked and preserved. This study aimed to optimize the microwave pre-cooked conditions on adzuki beans by applying the response surface methodology. The results showed that soaking time has a significant effect on the gelatinization degree of adzuki beans according to microwave time. The most suitable gelatinization and the sensory scores were obtained with a soaking time of 7.8 h, a microwave power of 830 W, and microwave time of 92 s. The pre-cooked treatment had no significant effect (p > 0.05) on the protein, free amino acid, fat and starch content of adzuki bean products. The results of SEM and polarized light microscopy showed that the surface and center of starch were damaged after microwave treatment. XRD showed that microwave pre-cooking did not change the crystal structure of starch and maintained the original order of type A structure while reducing the relative starch crystallinity. FT-IR showed that the pre-cooked treatment did not produce new structure in adzuki bean starch, but the ratio of 1047/1022 cm−1 was slightly decreased, indicating that the starch crystallization area decreased relative to the amorphous area and the relative crystallinity decreased. The results of FTIR were consistent with X-ray diffraction results. Therefore, microwaves improved the gelatinization of adzuki beans and made the pre-cooked adzuki beans more suitable.

Influence of Heat Treatment on Structure and Durometric Properties of Coatings Obtained by Surfacing with CSR-04СR27NI7MO3CU2Т Cast Rods

The effect of heat treatment modes on the structure and durometric properties of coatings obtained by surfacing with CSR-04СR27NI7MO3CU2Т cast rods, is considered. It is found that the temperature of 800°С and soaking time of 5 hours are optimal to increase the deposited metal hardness. It is shown that such a phenomenon results from the formation of the austenitic structure hardened by the precipitates of the σ-phase (FeCr), chromium carbides (Cr3C2) and titanium carbides (TiC). The heat treatment modes proposed can be applied in the wear-resistant surfacing technology of chemical equipment parts.

Influence of Waste Tire Particles on Freeze–Thaw Resistance and Impermeability Performance of Waste Tires/Sand-Based Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Composites

Waste tires/sand-based autoclaved aerated concrete (SAAC) composites were prepared by mixing waste tires, which have different particle sizes and content. The physical performance, mechanical properties, freeze–thaw resistance, impermeability performance, phase composition, and microstructure of waste tires/sand-based autoclaved aerated concrete composite materials were examined. The results demonstrated that the 750-μm-sized waste tire particles on the surface of the SAAC composite did not agglomerate. Moreover, these particles did not damage the pore structure of the composites. The SAAC composites, with a relatively high compressive strength and low mass-loss rate, were obtained when the contents of waste tire particles ranged from 1.0 to 2.5 wt.%. For composites prepared with 2.0 wt.% of 750-μm-sized waste tire particles, the optimal compressive and flexural strength values were 3.20 and 0.95 MPa, respectively. The increase in the rate of water absorption on SAAC composites was lowest (i.e., 16.3%) when the soaking time was from 24 to 120 h.

Impact of Heat on the Different Stages of the Production of Local Beer “Tchoukoutou” Made from Sorghum

Tchoukoutou is a local alcoholic drink made from sorghum. The optimization and good quality of this drink depend on certain factors such as temperature that were the subject of our work. To carry out this study, we have set ourselves the general objective of structuring the production of Tchoukoutou. Specifically, the study aims to systematize the cooking of the wort, to verify the properties of the beer through tests and to produce a quality drink. An investigation was made on the influence of temperature on sorghum germination and wort cooking. The study of the effect of temperature on the germination of sorghum was carried out. It concerned four different temperature levels which are: 23 ° C, 26 ° C, 30 ° C and 35 ° C. A study of the influence of temperature on brewing was done with different varieties of sorghum and also at different temperature ranges: 78 ° C, 83 ° C, 89 ° C, and 92 ° C. The results showed that the ideal germination temperature is 30 ° C and for brewing it is 78 ° C. The soaking time during germination, for a good germination rate, is between 16h and 26h. In conclusion, the temperature factor is a parameter that should not be overlooked when making Tchoukoutou. Our study thus made will serve as a basis for subsequent studies in the same direction to achieve a standardized industrial production of Tchoukoutou.

Limbah Sabut Kelapa Muda (Cocos nucifera L.) sebagai Sumber Pewarna Kain

Young coconut coir (Cocos nucifera Linn.) waste has the potential to be processed into a useful product, namely as a source of natural dyes, especially in cotton fabrics. Processing is carried out through a maceration process for 72 hours using 96% ethanol as solvent. The obtained extract was applied on cotton cloth with various concentrations of the extract solution, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25%, and various soaking times of the fabric in the extract for 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 minutes. The extract was analyzed using Uv-Vis Spekctrofotometer it showed that the ethanol extract or dye that is absorbed into the cotton fabric with various concentrations is 3.43, 4.82, 6.61, 7.79, and 9.03%, respectively. The various soaking times show that on the other hand that the extract absorbed into the fabric was successfully obtained around 7.75, 9.64, 10.81, 11.65, and 12.04%. The results show that the concentration of the extract solution and the increasing length of soaking time can increase the percentage of extract or dye absorbed in cotton fabrics

Optimization of Commercial Microwave Assisted-Extraction Conditions for Recovery of Phenolics from Lemon-Scented Tee Tree (Leptospermum petersonii) and Comparison with Other Extraction Techniques

The lemon-scented tea tree (LSTT) is an Australian native herb and is a rich source of essential oil and phenolics. The ETHOS X extraction system is known as a commercial microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) system for extracting bioactive compounds from plant materials. This study investigated the influence of soaking time, radiation time, microwave power, and sample to solvent ratio on the extraction efficiency of polyphenols and antioxidant properties from lemon-scented tea tree leaves and optimized the extraction conditions using response surface methodology (RSM). The effectiveness of ETHOS X was further compared with ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and shaking water bath (SWB) techniques. The results revealed that soaking time did not significantly affect the recovery of phenolics from the leaves (p > 0.05). Thus, soaking is not required for the ETHOS X extraction of polyphenols from LSTT leaves. RSM was successfully applied to explore the impact of ETHOS X extraction conditions and optimize the extraction conditions. Radiation time significantly affects the recovery yield of phenolics (p < 0.05) positively, whereas irradiation power and sample to solvent ratio adversely influenced the extraction yields of phenolics. The optimal ETHOS X extraction conditions were: radiation time of 60 min, irradiation power of 600 W, and sample to solvent ratio of 2 g/100 mL. Under these conditions, 119.21 ± 7.09 mg of phenolic, 85.31 ± 4.55 mg of flavonoids, and 137.51 ± 12.52 mg of proanthocyanidins can be extracted from a gram of dried LSTT leaves. In comparison with UAE and SWB, ETHOS X is not more effective for the extraction of phenolics than UAE and SWB. However, this technique can save half of the solvent volume compared to UAE and SWB techniques.

Characterisation of the Microstructure of Plain Carbon Steel Formed during Isothermal and Continuous Cooling Following Austenitisation

The present study has been undertaken to compare the microstructure of the plain carbon steel, containing 0.65 carbon, which was formed during varying isothermal and continuous cooling conditions following austenitisation at the same temperature and soaking time. After austenitisation, one set of samples was subjected to isothermal treatment which was carried out at a temperature varying in the range of 650–400 °C, and the other one was continuously cooled to ambient temperature using different cooling rates ranging from 500 to 1.4 °Cs–1. The metallographic examination of the samples was fulfilled using light and TEM microscopy. Additionally, Vickers hardness measurements were performed.

Quality Improvement of White Pepper with Processing through Optimizing the Ratio of Starter Culture from Acetobacter sp., Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus cereus

Fermentation process using known microbial species can be exploited for the processing of white pepper. It is expected to generate quality of white pepper in a short period soaking time. This research aimed to study characteristics of white pepper through a fermentation process by addition of combination isolates of Acetobacter sp., B. subtilis, and B. cereus. After threshing, 2 kg of fresh pepper berries was soaked in water mixed with starter culture. The experiment used a completely randomized design, two replications. The treatment consisted of: A) starter culture ratio of Acetobacter sp.: B. subtillis: B. cereus (A1 = 0:0:0; A2 = 1:1:1; A3 = 2:1:1; A4 = 1:2:1; and A5 = 1:1:2) and soaking time (B1 = 5 and B2 = 7 days). Fermented pepper was decorticated, washed, and dried. The best treatment was fermented for 7 days with the combination isolates of Acetobacter sp., B. subtilis, and B. cereus with ratio 2:1:1. This condition produced white pepper in fulfilling in requirement of SNI standards with piperine and essential oil contents and TPC of 5.95%, 2.95% and 1.1 x 102 CFU/g, respectively. This process is expected to generate high quality of white pepper in a short soaking time.