Formulation of a Carbonated Herbal Health Drink with Hemidesmus indicus root extract

The study was done to formulate a drink from an old medicinal herb and retain all the potential benefits with a new taste and flavor. For this an herbal drink was formulated and its quality ascertained. In the first part of the study, syrup was prepared from the raw roots of the herb with addition of acids and flavors. Then this syrup was diluted (in the ratio of 20:80, i.e., 20% syrup and 80% water) further followed by carbonation with the rate of 6.2 g of CO2 per liter of the diluted drink and bottled. Three samples were prepared namely, Control samples T0(Control sample, without essence), T1(Kewada essence) and T2 (Rose essence). In the next part, prepared samples were subjected to sensory evaluation and chemical analysis when fresh and after regular intervals at room temperature (27±1 °C) and refrigerated temperature (below 70C). Microbial analysis of the product was done to check the quality of the herbal drink and self-life of the product. The control sample T0 was the most acceptable due to its unique taste and flavor, followed by samples T1 and T2. The present study entailed to conclude that preparation of a drink with hemidesmus indicus roots extracts gives a new taste and flavor with high nutritional values. This drink can be stored safe for nearly a month if carbonated and storage at refrigerated temperature (below 50C).

Sunt Bark Powder: Alternative Retanning Agent for Shoe Upper Leather Manufacture

The retanning process is a very important step in leather manufacturing because it overcomes some of the disadvantages of chrome tannage and it can contributes to further stabilization of collagen fibers and good handle of leather, such as fullness, softness, elasticity and so on. In order to meet customers’ requirements, a wide variety of retanning agents are used in retanning process viz. vegetable tan and phenolic synthetic/organic tanning materials. Sunt bark, widely distributed in Sudan, has been evaluated for its utilization in the retanning of the leathers. In the present investigation, sunt bark powder has been used for the retanning of wet blue leathers. The effectiveness sunt bark in retanning of wet blue leathers has been compared with wattle retanning. The organoleptic properties of the leathers viz. softness, fullness, grain smoothness, grain tightness (break), general appearance, uniformity of dyeing of sunt bark retanned leather have been evaluated in comparison with wattle retanned leathers. Sunt retanning resulted in leathers with good grain tightness. Physical strength characteristic and shrinkage temperature were noted. Dyeing characteristics of sunt retanned leathers have been found to be better than wattle retanned leathers.

Study on microstructural and mechanical properties of dissimilar joint of laser beam welded Inconel 625 and SS 316

This paper investigates the microstructure and properties of deep penetrated laser welded dissimilar joints of Inconel 625 nickel based alloys and 316 Stainless Steel. Evaluation of weld microstructures through optical microscopy, Brinell Hardness test, Tensile test at room temperature and stress rupture properties were done. The Experimental results showed that the microstructure of the weld zone near the fusion line in Inconel 625 were columnar dendrites, whereas that near the fusion line in SS 316 were mainly cellular. The tensile strength tests indicated that the dissimilar butt joints ruptured in the fusion zone.

Optimizationof Process Parameters of Copper Composites Produced via Friction Stir Processing

Increasing demands for operating properties of fabricated elements on one hand, and a necessity of reducing mass of a structure on the other, triggers materials engineering research into producing surface layers representing required functional properties. Methods commonly used in the production of surface layers, such as surfacing, spraying or re-melting with a laser beam have been known for years. A new method is the friction stir processing (FSP) of surface layers. The FSP process is primarily used for the modification of microstructure in near-surface layers of processed metallic components this deformation is produced by forcibly inserting a non-consumable tool into the workpiece, and revolving the tool in a stirring motion as it is pushed laterally through the workpiece. This is promising process for the automotive and aerospace industries where new material will need to be developed to improve resistance to wear, creep, and fatigue. The main objective of this project is to be producing copper reinforced metal matrix composite layers using micro sized TiB2 particles via friction stir processing (FSP) in order to enhance surface mechanical properties. Taguchi method was used to optimize these factors for maximizing the mechanical properties of surface composites. The fabricated surface composites were examined by optical microscope (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for dispersion reinforcement particles. It was found that TiB2 particles are uniformly dispersed in the stir zone. Mechanical properties like tensile, Impact, hardness, were also evaluated. The results showed that functional characteristics of surface composites increased with the increase in vol. % of the micro sized TiB2 reinforcement particles. The observed mechanical properties are correlated with microstructure and fracture features.