Determination of the water content of foods : Indirect determination of the water content

The indirect determination of the water content of foods is dealt witli on the basis of tlie following general considerations: A. The absolute vapour pressure of the water in the substance to be desiccated ; B. The absolute vapour pressure of the water in the surrounding air, C. Behaviour of the non-water components of the substance to be desicented , D. Special causes of errors, viz.: 1.. Retardation in the establishment of equihbrium; 2. Retardation due to title structure of the substancc to be desiccated, 3. Crust formation; 4. Analytical errors. E. Rate of desiccation: reference methods and rapid routine methods.We prefer to consider the problems relating to the indirect determination of the water content on the basis of absolute water vapour pressures. The advantages and disadvantages of this method of treatment have been indicated.     

Carbon nanomembranes from self-assembled monolayers: Functional surfaces without bulk

In this topical review we describe the fabrication, characterization and applications of 1 nm thick, mechanically stable carbon nanomembranes (CNMs). They represent a new type of functional two-dimensional (2D) materials, which can be concisely described as “surfaces without bulk”. Because CNMs are made by electron-induced crosslinking of aromatic self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), we start with an overview of SAMs with a special emphasis on aromatic SAMs. We describe the chemical modification of SAMs by electron, ion and photon irradiation, introduce the concepts of irradiation-induced crosslinking and chemical nanolithography of aromatic SAMs and discuss the underlying physical and chemical mechanisms. We present examples for applications of these phenomena in the engineering of complex surface architectures, e.g., nanopatterns of proteins, fluorescent dyes or polymer brushes. Then we introduce a transfer procedure to release cross-linked aromatic SAMs from their original substrates and to form free-standing CNMs. We discuss mechanical and electrical properties of CNMs and demonstrate that they can be converted into graphene upon annealing. This transformation opens an original and flexible molecular route towards the large-scale synthesis of graphene sheets with tunable properties. Finally, we demonstrate the lithographic and chemical tailoring of CNMs to fabricate novel functional 2D carbon materials: supports for high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and nanolithography, nanosieves, Janus nanomembranes, polymer carpets, complex layered structures. Prospects of combining different types of nanomembranes made of SAMs (CNMs, graphene, nanosieves, Janus nanomembranes) towards the engineering of novel functional nanomaterials for a variety of electronic, optical, lab-on-a-chip and micro-/nanomechanical (MEMS/NEMS) devices are discussed.     

Determination of water content by means of the Derivatograph

The determination of water content by means of the Derivatograph is treated in the paper. The determination of water in analytical precipitates, various pharmaceutical products, biological substances, the products of food industry is treated on the basis of some practical examples. The applicability of the Derivatograph for determining the adsorption capacity of industrial adsorbents, the hydration conditions of cement, the system Ca₃A-CaSO₄ · H₂O and the rehydrability of clay minerals is demonstrated. The aluminium oxide barrier layers were investigated on the basis of the water content of the aluminium hydroxide. For the characterization of the different strengths by which water is bound in strontium chloride hydrates the apparent activation energies are also presented.

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Zusammenfassung Die Bestimmung von Wasser mit Hilfe des Derivatographen wurde besprochen. Es wurden die verschiedenen Anwendungsmöglichkeiten der Methode, wie die Bestimmung des Wassers in analytischen Niederschlägen, Arzeneimitteln, Lebensmittel, biologischen Substanzen an Beispielen besprochen. Die Anwendbarkeit des Derivatographen zur Bestimmung der Adsorptionskapazität von industriellen Adsorbenten, der Hydrationsverhältnisse von Zement, des Systems Ca₃A-CaSO₄ · H₂O und der Rehydration von Tonmineralien wurde erörtert. Aluminiumoxydgrenzschichten konnten auf Grund des Wassergehalts des Aluminiumhydroxyds geprüft werden. Zur Charakterisierung der verschiedenen wasserbindenden Kräfte werden die Werte der scheinbaren Aktivierungsenergien der Alkalierdchlorid-hydrate vorgelegt.

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Résumé L'article traite de la détermination de la teneur en eau à l'aide du Derivatograph. La méthode est exposée en se servant d'exemples pratiques comme les précipités analytiques, divers produits pharmaceutiques, alimentaires, des substances biologiques. On montre que le Derivatograph peut être utilisé pour déterminer la capacité d'adsorption des adsorbants industriels, pour examiner l'hydration du ciment, du' système Ca₃A-CaSO₄ · H₂O et la rehydration des minéraux argileux. Examination des couches interfaces d'oxyde d'aluminium sur Ja base de la teneur en eau du hydroxide d'aluminium. L'énergie d'activation apparente a été déterminée et utilisée pour caractériser les différentes forces de liaison de l'eau dans les chlorures alcalino-terreux hydratés.

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Determination of water content by means of the Derivatograph

The determination of water content by means of the Derivatograph is treated in the paper. The determination of water in analytical precipitates, various pharmaceutical products, biological substances, the products of food industry is treated on the basis of some practical examples. The applicability of the Derivatograph for determining the adsorption capacity of industrial adsorbents, the hydration conditions of cement, the system Ca₃A-CaSO₄ · H₂O and the rehydrability of clay minerals is demonstrated. The aluminium oxide barrier layers were investigated on the basis of the water content of the aluminium hydroxide. For the characterization of the different strengths by which water is bound in strontium chloride hydrates the apparent activation energies are also presented.     

The effect of the water content of acetonitrile on the electrochemistry of ferrocenyl thiol self-assembled monolayers

A novel kind of ethylene-ferrocenyl dodecyl thiol bearing an electron-withdrawing pyridium group (FcCH=CH-Py(CH2)10SH) was synthesized and mixed with HOOCC(10)SH on an Au electrode to form mixed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) in ethanol solution. The influence of the water content of acetonitrile on the electrochemistry of the SAMs was studied by cyclic voltammetry and ac voltammetry measurement. The results showed that the current decreased and the oxidation potential of the ferrocene group shifted negatively with increasing water content of acetonitrile.     

tert-Butylphosphonic acid: from the bulk to the gas phase

The structure of tert-butylphosphonic acid in the solid, in solution, and in the gas phase was studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, (1)H and (31)P NMR spectroscopic studies in solution, solid-state (31)P NMR spectroscopy, and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. In addition, density functional theory (DFT) calculations at the B3LYP/6-31G*, B3LYP/6-31+G*, and B3LYP/6-311+G* level of theory for a large number of H-bonded aggregates of the type (tBuPO(3)H(2))(n) (C(n), P(n); n=1-7) support the experimental work. Crystallization of tBuPO(3)H(2) from polar solvents such as CH(3)CN or THF gives the H-bonded one-dimensional polymer 2, whereas crystallization from the less polar solvent CDCl(3) favors the formation of the H-bonded cluster (tBuPO(3)H(2))(6).CDCl(3) (1). In CDCl(3) the hexamer (tBuPO(3)H(2))(6) (C(6)) is replaced by smaller aggregates down to the monomer with decreasing concentration. DFT calculations and natural bond orbital (NBO) analyses for the clusters C(1)-C(7) and the linear arrays P(1)-P(7) reveal the hexamer C(6) to be the energetically favored structure resulting from cooperative strengthening of the hydrogen bonds in the H-bonded framework. However, the average hydrogen bond strengths calculated for C(6) and P(2) do not differ significantly (42-43 kJ mol(-1)). The average distances r(O.O), r(Obond;H), r(Pdbond;O), and r(Pbond;OH) in C(1)-C(7) and P(1)-P(7) are closely related to the hydrogen bond strength. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry shows the presence of different anionic species of the type [(tBuPO(3)H(2))(n)-H](-) (A(1)-A(7), n=1-7) depending on the instrumental conditions. DFT calculations at the B3LYP/6-31G* level of theory were carried out for A(1)-A(6). We suggest the dimer [(tBuPO(3)H(2))(2)-H](-) (A(2)) and the trimer [(tBuPO(3)H(2))(3)-H](-) (A(3)) are the energetically favored anionic structures. A hydrogen bond energy of approximately 83 kJ mol(-1) was calculated for A(2). Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry is not suitable to study the assembling process of neutral H-bonded tert-butylphosphonic acid since the removal of a proton from the neutral aggregates has a large influence on the hydrogen bond strength and the cluster structure.     

Inverting structures: from micelles via emulsions to internally self-assembled water and oil continuous nanocarriers

Fluid-like colloidal structures are key components in nature's own functional materials and important for various applications. For instance, self-assembled structures are formed spontaneously by amphiphilic molecules in solvent, tailored by directional noncovalent intermolecular forces. These structures form the framework of cells defining their geometry and microenvironments for chemical reactions, for maintaining concentration gradients, and for nutrient exchange. Knowledge on the mechanisms at play that underlie the self-assembly of amphiphilic molecules into nanostructures in aqueous and nonaqueous solvents and their dispersion into particles can have direct implications for the rational design of new advanced and nature-inspired materials. These colloidal materials could help to deliver drug molecules and nutrients in a tailored manner to the body, or act as sustainable solvents for chemical or biotechnological processes. This contribution summarizes the recent progress in understanding the self-assembly structure formation in polar and nonpolar solvents and discusses the advances in hierarchically organized systems. Furthermore, it discusses challenges in the characterization of structure and dynamics in these biomimetic materials and highlights selected applications in the fields of drug delivery, food, and biotechnology.     

Phase behavior of magnetic nanoparticles dispersions in bulk and confined geometries

Dispersions of magnetic nanoparticles (ferrofluids) have been for a long time taken as examples of dipolar fluids. Theoretical papers conclude now that an important parameter is the ratio of the anisotropic attractions (dipolar ones) to the isotropic attractions (Van der Waals ones). It is confirmed by the recent experimental results concerning the behavior of small magnetic particles in bulk or confined 2D geometries.     

Photocatalytic hydrogen production from water in self-assembled supramolecular iridium-cobalt systems

Supramolecular photosynthetic systems made up of the [Ir(ppy)(2)(bpy)](+) and [Co(bpy)(3)](2+) cores (ppy = 2-phenylpyridinate, bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) are in situ self-assembled in aqueous media to generate H(2) upon visible light irradiation, where one of them recorded a relatively high turnover number of 20.     

Gravitational effects on the phase behaviour of dispersions

Gravity can influence the formation of highly ordered structures from monodisperse polymer colloid systems, i.e. crystallization. These effects are particularly significant in the formation of alloy type crystals from bimodal dispersions. In this situation the use of “time-average” gravity is beneficial for the formation of mixed crystals.     

Transfer of chirality from molecule to phase in self-assembled chiral block copolymers

Here, we report the mechanisms of chiral transfer at various length scales in the self-assembly of enantiomeric chiral block copolymers (BCPs*). We show the evolution of homochirality from molecular chirality into phase chirality in the self-assembly of the BCPs*. The chirality of the molecule in the BCP* is identified from circular dichroism (CD) spectra, while the handedness of the helical conformation in the BCP* is determined from a split-type Cotton effect in vibrational circular dichroism spectra. Microphase separation of the BCP* is exploited to form a helical (H*) phase, and the handedness of helical nanostructure in the BCP* is directly visualized from transmission electron microscopy tomography. As examined by CD and fluorescence experiments, significant induced CD signals and a bathochromic shift of fluorescence emission for the achiral perylene moiety as a chemical junction of the BCPs* can be found while the concentration of the BCPs* in toluene solution is higher than the critical micelle concentration, suggesting a twisting and shifting mechanism initiating from the microphase-separated interface of the BCPs* leading to formation of the H* phase from self-assembly.     

Determination of water content of hygroscopic lithium salts

Determination of the water content in hygroscopic lithium chloride, lithium bromide, lithium nitrate and lithium sulfate by Karl Fischer reagent (KFR), Hydranal (Eugen Scholz reagent) and by thermal-vacuum drying is discussed. Agreement between the results of the KFR titrations and drying methods is satisfactory whereas the Hydranal titrations gave high values. Only the drying method was suitable for lithium sulfate.     

Stabilization of the mesomorphic phase in a self-assembled two-component system

We reported here the two-component self-assembling building blocks capable of forming lyotropic liquid crystal and liquid-crystalline physical gel. One of the components has a molecular characteristic of C(3)-symmetrical trisureas containing three azobenzene groups, which can form liquid-crystal phase in a temperature range of 133-215 degrees C. Another one has a trisamide core, which can self-aggregate to fibrous network through hydrogen bonds of amide moieties. The mixture of these two components performs lyotropic liquid crystal as well as liquid-crystalline physical gel in a temperature range larger than that of sole compound, suggesting that the cooperation of hydrogen bonds between these components stabilizes the mesophase of the assembly. The mechanism of formation of the mesophase was investigated by infrared spectra and small-angle X-ray scatterings.     

The effect of bulk motion on coagulation rates of colloidal dispersions

Following the work in 1917 of Smoluchowski, the theory of coagulation of micronsized particles progressed very little until quantitative estimates were possible for induced-dipole attraction and electrostatic double-layer repulsion. A second increase in our understanding of coagulation of colloids has been achieved through application of recent results in fluid mechanics concerning the viscous forces operative between two particles in relative motion.In this survey the essential features of recent theories and experiments of the behavior of spherical of hydrophobic colloids in aqueous suspensions are outlined. Departures from earlier theories are reviewed, and attempts to incorporate simultaneously the effects of bulk flow and of Brownian motion are described.     

Ionic self-assembled organic nanobelts from the hexagonal phase complexes and their cyclodextrin inclusions

The supramolecular ionic self-assembly (ISA) strategy has been used to construct the long-range ordered hierarchical aggregates from the complexes of 1-adamantanamine hydrochloride (AdCl) and sodium bis(2-ethyl-1-hexyl)sulfosuccinate (AOT). The formed AOT-Ad complexes have been proved to possess a composition of equal molar ratio and a hexagonal columnar structure with Ad blocks as the core and AOT outside. More interestingly, the length, width, and thickness of the aggregates are on the order of milli-, micro-, and nanometer, respectively, and can thus be taken as one type of organic nanobelt. Such nanobelts are plastic and stable to resist breakage even bent to a circle, which makes them useful in the fields of novel nanomaterial fabrication. In addition, the ISA process of this aggregate can be tuned by including Ad blocks in beta-cyclodextrins to form a supramolecular complex, which is comparatively stable in the water and expected to self-assemble into some other ordered structures.     

Determination of total water content in inulin using the volumetric Karl Fischer titration

A new sample preparation method for the water content determination of inulin by volumetric Karl Fischer (KF) titration was developed and compared to the usual method of introducing the sample directly in the methanol-based working medium, modified or not by formamide (1:3, v/v) in order to increase sample solubility. In the proposed method, inulins were externally prepared by dissolving them in pure formamide (2.5:7.5, w/w). The time of analysis of the liquid/liquid reaction of the new method between the dissolved sample and the reaction medium is about 1–2 min, while the usual KF method is stopped after the 10 min delay time. The developed method permits the determination of water included in the crystals of the sample, confirmed by analysing both crystalline and amorphous inulin samples. Another advantage of this new method is its applicability for the water content determination of other polysaccharides that are not readily soluble in the working medium. Moreover, water content determination can be done by any type of volumetric KF titrator, as this proposed technique is not dependent on any additional tools such as a built-in homogeniser or a heatable titration beaker.     

Comparison of the stability of multiwalled carbon nanotube dispersions in water

Continuous real-time monitoring of the nanotube concentration in aqueous solution using UV-Vis spectroscopy allows quantitative comparison of the stability of different types of nanotube dispersions. Systematic investigation of the effects of nanotube length and functionalisation for thin multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) has revealed that shorter MWNT form more stable dispersions than longer nanotubes of the same diameter. MWNT shortened to an average length of approximately 1 microm form stable dispersions in water with concentrations up to 0.013 mg ml(-1) in the absence of surfactants or solubilising functional groups. The introduction of carboxylic or thiol groups on the surface of shortened nanotubes further increases the stability of MWNT dispersions (up to 0.24 mg ml(-1)). The introduction of surfactant or surface charge on MWNT has contrasting effects on functionalised and non-functionalised nanotubes, destabilising and stabilising their dispersions, respectively.