Modifying the physicochemical properties,solubility and foaming capacity of milk proteins by ultrasound-assisted alkaline pH-shifting treatment

This study investigated the effects of different treatment of alkaline pH-shifting on milk protein concentrate (MPC), micellar casein concentrate (MCC) and whey protein isolate (WPI) assisted by the same ultrasound conditions, including changes in the physicochemical properties, solubility and foaming capacity. The solubility of milk proteins had a significant increase with gradual enhancement of ultrasound-assisted alkaline pH-shifting (p < 0.05), especially for MCC up to 99.50 %. Also, treatment made a significant decline in the particle size of MPC and MCC, as well as the turbidity of the proteins (p < 0.05). The foaming capacity of MPC, MCC, and WPI was all improved, especially at pH 11, and at this pH, the milk protein also showed the highest surface hydrophobicity. The best foaming capacity at pH 11 was the result of the combined effect of particle size, potential, protein conformation, solubility, and surface hydrophobicity. In conclusion, ultrasound-assisted pH-shifting treatment was found to be effective in improving the physicochemical properties and solubility and foaming capacity of milk proteins, especially MCC, with promising application prospect in food industry.     

Ion pair assisted micro matrix solid phase dispersion extraction of alkaloids from medical plant

A novel micro matrix solid phase dispersion method was successfully used for the extraction of quaternary alkaloids in Phellodendri chinensis cortex. The elution of target compounds was accomplished with sodium hexanesulfonate as the eluent solvent. A neutral ion pair was formed between ion-pairing reagent and positively charged alkaloids in this process, which was beneficial for selectively extraction of polar alkaloids. Several parameters were optimized and the optimal conditions were listed as follows: silica gel as the sorbent, silica to sample mass ratio of 1:1, the grinding time of 1 min. The exhaustive elution of targets was achieved by 200 µL methanol/water (9:1) containing 150 mM sodium hexane sulfonate at pH 4.5. The method validation covered linearity, recovery, precision of intraday and interday, limits of detection, limits of quantitation, and repeatability. This established method was rapid, simple, environmentally friendly, and highly sensitive.     

A facile approach to fabricate and embed multifunctional nano ZnO into soap matrix and liquid cleansing products for enhanced antibacterial and photostability for health and hygiene applications

This research demonstrates, a facile approach to fabricate the nano ZnO system in an unique combination of surfactant-polyol-assembly (SPA) acting as a caging agent restricting the ZnO crystallite size in nano-regime. This SPA is suitable for health and hygiene products and such optimized technique is among the very few researches exploring the impact of embedding low concentrations of nano ZnO system into the matrix of sodium salt of long chain fatty acids (soap bar) and liquid cleansing personal care products. The fabricated nano ZnO in SPA and infused products were systematically characterized using various advanced and appropriate techniques. The hexagonal wurtzite structure of nano ZnO-SPA is evaluated based on XRD pattern which also exhibit an average crystallite size as 20.18 nm and high specific surface area as 52.99 m²/g. The SEM-supported morphological assessment confirms the formation of agglomerates of ultrafine ZnO rods and spherical particles. Novel nano ZnO having wideband gap energy (3.66 eV) embedded in soap bar act as a UV-blocker preventing the oxidation of unsaturated long chain fatty acids. Soap bar without ZnO experienced degradation and reduction in whiteness to 17.85% whereas 2.5 mg/g nano ZnO infused soap shows the reduction to 7.9% which clearly reflects the increased photostability of soap bar. The antibacterial efficacy of nano ZnO-SPA and infused products are investigated against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) by Zone of Inhibition (ZOI) and European standard EN:1276. Infused products exhibited high antibacterial efficacy up to 4.43 log reduction equivalent to >99.99% germ kill.     

Designing Solid Electrolyte Interfaces towards Homogeneous Na Deposition: Theoretical Guidelines for Electrolyte Additives and Superior High-Rate Cycling Stability

Metallic Na is a promising metal anode for large-scale energy storage. Nevertheless, unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and uncontrollable Na dendrite growth lead to disastrous short circuit and poor cycle life. Through phase field and ab initio molecular dynamics simulation, we first predict that the sodium bromide (NaBr) with the lowest Na ion diffusion energy barrier among sodium halogen compounds (NaX, X=F, Cl, Br, I) is the ideal SEI composition to induce the spherical Na deposition for suppressing dendrite growth. Then, 1,2-dibromobenzene (1,2-DBB) additive is introduced into the common fluoroethylene carbonate-based carbonate electrolyte (the corresponding SEI has high mechanical stability) to construct a desirable NaBr-rich stable SEI layer. When the Na||Na₃V₂(PO₄)₃ cell utilizes the electrolyte with 1,2-DBB additive, an extraordinary capacity retention of 94 % is achieved after 2000 cycles at a high rate of 10 C. This study provides a design philosophy for dendrite-free Na metal anode and can be expanded to other metal anodes.     

Production of high-purity carbon dioxide and sodium bicarbonate by lime cellar gas cleaning and chemical recycling: Process simulation and techno-economic analysis

The cement industry is responsible for 8% of total global CO₂ emissions, which mainly originate from limestone calcination and fuel combustion. In view of the application potential of using CO₂ to produce chemicals, this paper developed a novel process based on the Aspen Plus process simulation for the co-production of 99.99% CO₂ by means of Methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) absorption/desorption and NaHCO₃ by carbonization of CO₂, NH₃ and Na₂SO₄. The effects of absorption temperature, NH₃ and Na₂SO₄ feeding amount, crystallizer temperature and pressure on CO₂ capture rate and utilization rate were explored. The results showed that the best CO₂ capture rate was achieved when the cellar gas inlet temperature of the absorber tower was 37 °C; Saturated Na₂SO₄ solution was favorable for CO₂ absorption, and the CO₂ utilization rate increased with the increase of Na₂SO₄ dosage; NaHCO₃ yield decreased with the increase of crystallizing temperature, and the best NaHCO₃ yield was achieved when the crystallizer temperature was 35.5 °C; Crystallizing pressure had little impact on the reaction. Economic analysis showed that the project will start to be profitable in 6.48 years with a Net Return Rate (NRR) value of 13.51%. It indicates that the project has economic benefits and provides a new way to reduce CO₂ emissions from lime cellar gas.     

含异原子石墨炔基电极材料的研究进展

碳材料具有价格低廉、 易制备、 环境友好、 导电性高、 比表面积大以及适合离子存储和迁移等优点, 已成为目前应用于电化学储能器件电极的重要材料之一. 石墨炔(GDY)是一种新型的二维碳同素异形体, 由sp²碳杂化形式的苯环和sp碳杂化形式的炔键构成. 这种独特的化学结构一方面保持了碳材料良好的导电特性, 另一方面形成了新颖的离子传输通道, 为碳材料带来了不同的离子传输和存储特性. 与此同时, 由于石墨炔的空间结构可调性, 可以通过引入异原子微调石墨炔电子结构, 拓展石墨炔在电极材料领域的应用. 本文重点对近几年异原子杂化石墨炔基电极材料在锂离子电池、 钠离子电池、 金属硫电池、 电容器、 金属空气电池和电极保护等储能领域的研究工作进行总结, 并对未来石墨炔类材料在储能领域的发展进行了展望.     

Recent Progress and Perspectives of Sodium Metal Anodes for Rechargeable Batteries

Sodium metal anodes have attracted significant attention due to their high specific capacity,low redox potential and abundant resources.However,the dendrites and unstable solid electrolyte interphase(SEI)of sodium anodes restrict the development of sodium metal batteries.This review includes the recent progress on the Na anode protection in sodium metal batteries.The strategies are summarized as modified three-dimensional current collectors,artificial solid electrolyte interphases,and electrolyte modifications.Conclusions and perspectives are envisaged for the further understanding and development of Na metal anodes.     

Design and Construction of 3D Porous Na3V2(PO4)3/C as High Performance Cathode for Sodium Ion Batteries

An easy and delicate approach using cheap carbon source as conductive materials to construct 3D sequential porous structural Na3V2(PO4)3/C(NVP/C)with high performance for cathode materials of sodium ion battery is highly desired.In this paper,the NVP/C with 3D sequential porous structure is constructed by a delicate approach named as“cooking porridge”including evaporation and calcination stages.Especially,during evaporation,the viscosity of NVP/C precursor is optimized by controlling the adding quantity of citric acid,thus leading to a 3D sequential porous structure with a high specific surface area.Furthermore,the NVP/C with a 3D sequential porous structure enables the electrolyte to interior easily,providing more active sites for redox reaction and shortening the diffusion path of electron and sodium ion.Therefore,benefited from its unique structure,as cathode material of sodium ion batteries,the 3D sequential porous structural NVP/C exhibits high specific capacities(115.7,88.9 and 74.4 mA·h/g at current rates of 1,20 and 50 C,respectively)and excellent cycling stability(107.5 and 80.4 mA·h/g are remained at a current density of 1 C after 500 cycles and at a current density of 20 C after 2200 cycles,respectively).     

Improved Initial Charging Capacity of Na-poor Na0.44MnO2 via Chemical Presodiation Strategy for Low-cost Sodium-ion Batteries

Sodium-ion batteries(SIBs)are promising for grid-scale energy storage applications due to the natural abundance and low cost of sodium.Among various Na insertion cathode materials,Na0.44MnO2 has attracted the most attention because of its cost effectiveness and structural stability.However,the low initial charge capacity for Na-poor Na0.44MnO2 hinders its practical applications.Herein,we developed a facile chemical presodiated method using sodiated biphenly to transform Na-poor Na0.44MnO2 into Na-rich Na0.66MnO2.After presodiation,the initial charge capacity of Na0.44MnO2 is greatly enhanced from 56.5 mA·h/g to 115.7 mA·h/g at 0.1 C(1 C=121 mA/g)and the excellent cycling stability(the capacity retention of 94.1%over 200 cycles at 2 C)is achieved.This presodiation strategy would open a new avenue for promoting the practical applications of Na-poor cathode materials in sodium-ion batteries.     

Multilayer Porous Vanadium Nitride Microsheets Anodes for Highly Stable Na-ion Batteries

Sodiumion batteries(SIBs)have attracted intensive attention as promising alternative to lithium-ionbatteries(LIBs)for large scale energy storage systems because of low cost of sodium,similar energy storage mechanism and the reasonable performance.However,it is still a great challenge to search and design a robust structure of anode materials with excellent cycling stability and high rate capability for SIBs.Herein,multilayer porous vanadium nitride(VN)microsheets are synthesized through a facile and scalable hydrothermal synthesis-nitrogenization strategy as an effective anode material for SIBs.The multilayer porous VN microsheets not only offer more active sites for fast Na+insertion/extraction process and short diffusion pathway,but also effectively buffer the volume change of anode due to more space in the multilayer porous structure.The large proportions of capacitive behavior imply that the Na+charge storage depends on the intercalation pseudocapacitive mechanism.The multilayer porous VN microsheets electrodes manifest excellent cycling stability and rate capability,delivering a discharge capacity of 156.1 mA·h/g at 200 mA/g after 100 cycles,and a discharge capacity of 111.9 mA·h/g at 1.0 A/g even after 2300 cycles with the Coulombic efficiency of nearly 100%.