Solubility study and intensification of extraction of phenolic and anthocyanin compounds from Oryza sativa L. ‘Violet Nori’

Oryza sativa L. ‘Violet Nori’ is an Italian cultivar of spontaneous growing aromatic purple rice which is particularly rich in polyphenolic compounds, especially anthocyanins, conferring it an excellent antioxidant capacity. The present study aimed at increasing the extraction yields of its antioxidant compounds with green strategies and it is divided into two steps. The first step concerned a solubility study of the targeted polyphenols in different ethanol:water mixtures by means of a theoretical prediction method, using the simulation program COSMO-RS, and the subsequently confirmation of the computational results by practical experiments. Once the best extraction mixture was identified, the second step of the work was performed, with the purpose of intensifying the extraction yield. Therefore, various innovative green extraction techniques, including ultrasound, using both the probe system and the ultrasonic bath, bead milling, microwave and accelerated solvent extractions were tested and compared to conventional maceration.Results, expressed in terms of total phenolic and total monomeric anthocyanin contents, showed that the best extracting solvent for ‘Violet Nori’ rice was the mixture ethanol:water (60:40 v/v), being COSMO-RS computational predictions in good correlation with the experimental results. Moreover, the most efficient techniques to extract the antioxidant compounds resulted to be both ultrasound-assisted extraction probe and bead milling, that in only 5 min got the same extractive efficiency obtained after 3 h of conventional maceration.     

Dynamics of polydisperse hard-spheres under strong confinement

We use molecular simulation to probe the connection between local structure and the unusual re-entrant dynamics observed for polydisperse hard-sphere liquids confined in thin slit pores. The local structure is characterised by calculating 2-D bond-orientational order parameters associated with square and hexatic order for particles in the layer adjacent to the confining walls. When the wall separation is commensurate with the average particle size, the particles primarily exhibit local hexatic order, whereas local square order increases in prevalence for incommensurate geometries. The relaxation time extracted from the ensemble-averaged mean-square displacement increases exponentially with the static correlation length associated with hexatic local order in strongly confined commensurate geometries, in agreement with theoretical predictions for dynamical slowing. Square order, by contrast, is not associated with a growing length scale for either commensurate or incommensurate geometries, indicating that it is strongly geometrically frustrated. Our results suggest that the influence of bond-orientational order on dynamical slowing may be altered by changing the extent of confinement.     

Application of DEM modified with enlarged particle model to simulation of bead motion in a bead mill

We applied the discrete element method （DEM） of simulation modified by an enlarged particle model to simulate bead motion in a large bead mill. The stainless-steel bead mill has inner diameter of 102 mm and mill length of 198 mm. The bead diameter and filling ratio were fixed respectively at 0.5 mm and 85%. The agitator rotational speed was changed from 1863 to 3261 rpm. The bead motion was monitored experimentally using a high-speed video camera through a transparent mill body. For the simulation, enlarged particle sizes were set as 3-6 mm in diameter. With the DEM modified by the enlarged particle model, the motion of enlarged particles in a mill was simulated.The velocity data of the simulated enlarged particles were compared with those obtained in the experiment. The simulated velocity of the enlarged particles depends on the virtual frictional coefficient in the DEM model. The optimized value of the virtual frictional coefficient can be determined by considering the accumulated mean value. Results show that the velocity of the enlarged particles simulated increases with an increase in the optimum virtual frictional coefficient, but the simulated velocity agrees well with that determined experimentally by optimizing the virtual frictional coefficient in the simulation. The computing time in the simulation decreases with increased particle size.     

Construction and application of carbon nanotube/polypyrrole-based bacterial surface imprinted sensorEI北大核心CSCD

A simple and fast "non-hole" bacteria surface imprinted (SPBIP) impedance sensor was constructed for ultrasensitive detection of Salmonella. The SPBIP sensor was prepared by one step electropolymerization of pyrrole (functional monomer), single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT, nano-modulator), and Salmonella(template) onto a glassy carbon electrode. After removing the bacterial template, "non-hole" imprinted sites were formed on the surface of the polymer matrix, allowing the target bacteria to be specifically recognized. The resulting changes in the electrode surface impedance could be used to detect the target bacteria. The effects of the amount of SWNT, polymerization cycles, eluents, elution time and recognition time on the recognition ability of the sensor were investigated. Under the optimal conditions, the sensor could be used to detect 10~1×107 CFU/mLSalmonella with the limit of detection of 3.5 CFU/mL. The sensor could be used for the detection of salmonella in drinking water and orange juice samples with the recoveries ranging from 95.4% to 109.5%. © 2023, Youke Publishing Co.,Ltd. All rights reserved.     

Modulating ion current rectification generating high energy output in a single glass conical nanopore channel by concentration gradient

Inspired by biological systems that have the inherent skill to generate considerable bioelectricity from the salt content in fluids with highly selective ion channels and pumps on cell membranes,herein,a fully abiotic,single glass conical nanopores energy-harvesting is demonstrated.Ion current rectification(ICR)in negatively charged glass conical nanopores is shown to be controlled by the electrolyte concentration gradient depending on the direction of ion diffusion.The degree of ICR is enhanced with the increasing forward concentration difference.An unusual rectification inversion is observed when the concentration gradient is reversely applied.The maximum power output with the individual nanopore approaches10~4pW.This facile and cost-efficient energy-harvesting system has the potential to power tiny biomedical devices or construct future clean-energy recovery plants.     

基于压电振荡原理的微阵列点样系统的研制

针对基于电磁微阀原理的非接触点样方式存在操作过程复杂、点样量偏大,以及压电喷墨原理的非接触点样方式存在点样针不易清洗、造价昂贵等不足,研制了一种基于压电振荡原理的新型非接触点样装置,实现了微量液体点样.在本装置中,毛细管点样针与压电驱动装置为两个独立单元,可以单独对毛细管点样针进行更换和清洗.采用激光拉制法制备的玻璃毛细管点样针具有内径可调、成本低等优点.此点样方式通过改变压电陶瓷的振幅和频率,可在10Symbolm@@_10～10Symbolm@@_9 L之间调控点样体积.以此为基础,结合三维精密位移控制技术,研制了一种基于压电振荡原理的微阵列生物芯片点样系统.对点样系统的点样体积、点样密度、点样精度等参数进行了测试,结果表明,此点样系统的最小点样体积可达320 pL,点样密度可达4000 点/cm2,并能够实现界面图案化制备.     

Compression stress relaxation in carbon black reinforced HNBR at low temperatures

Findings of a study of stress relaxation behaviour of hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR) at nominal compressive strains up to 0.4 and temperatures above and below the glass transition temperature T_g are reported. Two formulations of a model HNBR with 36% acrylonitrile content and carbon black (CB) loading of 0 and 50 phr were investigated. The relaxation function of HNBR is found to be independent of strain at temperatures right above the T_g or at times longer than 10⁻³ s for the deformations employed. CB imparts higher long-term stiffness and also larger relaxation strength at times longer than 10⁻⁴ s to the HNBR, but it does not affect the relaxation behaviour of the rubber in the time span from 10⁻³ – 10⁴ s. In addition, the relationship between the strain energy function of HNBR and temperature is demonstrated to have a complex concave-downward shape which is affected by two competing contributions of entropy elasticity and the stress relaxation.     

Glass fabrics self-cracking catalytic growth of boron nitride nanotubes

Glass fabrics were used to fabricate boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) with a broad diameter range through a combined chemical vapor deposition and self-propagation high-temperature synthesis (CVD-SHS) method at different holding times (0min, 30min, 90min, 180min and 360min). SEM characterization has been employed to investigate the macro and micro structure/morphology changes of the glass fabrics and BNNTs in detail. SEM image analysis has provided direct experimental evidences for the rationality of the optimized self-cracking catalyst VLS growth mechanism, including the transformation situations of the glass fabrics and the BNNTs growth processes respectively. This paper was the further research and compensation for the theory and experiment deficiencies in the new preparation method of BNNTs reported in our previous work. In addition, it is likely that the distinctive self-cracking catalyst VLS growth mechanism could provide a new idea to preparation of other inorganic functional nano-materials using similar one-dimensional raw materials as growth templates and catalysts.     

Development of hexa- and mono-celsian in the crystallization of banalsite BaNa2Al4Si4O16 (LiF-CaF2-B2O3) glasses

On the basis of the mineral banalsit (BaNa₂Al₄Si₄O₁₆) and the addition of small B₂O₃ concentrations, transparent glasses were prepared. Furthermore, in order to achieve nucleation, LiF and CaF₂ were added. Hexacelsian was formed in bulk crystallized glass samples whereas, monocelsian, as well as small quantities of nepheline and banalsite were crystallized from sintered glass powder. The scanning electron micrographs of the sintered samples show high crystallinity and crystals with sizes from nano to micrometers. The SEM micrographs and the EDX microanalyses show that nano size rods of monocelsian surrounded by micrometer-sized hexagonal nepheline, banalsite or residual glassy phase occur. The coefficient of thermal expansion of the samples sintered at 1000 °C was higher (12.93–9.52 × 10⁻⁶ K⁻¹) in hexacelsian containing samples than in monocelsian (2.24–7.35 × 10⁻⁶ K⁻¹) containing ones. The samples also showed notably different densities of 2.6424 and 2.4718 g/cm³, respectively.     

Pd nanoparticles on boron doped graphene catalyst for electrochemical detection of hydrogen peroxide prepared by electroless deposition methodEI北大核心CSCD

Taking advantage of large conjugated structure and reductivity of boron-doped graphenethe palladium nanoparticles/boron-doped graphene catalyst was prepared by electroless deposition method using boron-doped graphene as reductant and stabilizer. The average size of palladium nanoparticles highly dispersed on the surface of boron-doped graphene was about 6.5 nm. The electrochemical sensor was prepared by modifying the as-formed catalyst on the surface of glassy carbon electrode. The obtained electrochemical sensor exhibited an excellent electrochemical catalytic activity for H2 O2 . It exhibited high sensitivity with the detection limit as low as 830 nmol/L and good linearity in the range of 2.5-300 μµmol/L for detection of H2 O2 . It could be utilized for the determination of H2 O2 in milk samples. © 2022, Youke Publishing Co.,Ltd. All rights reserved.