The effects of several sulfonates on thermal and fire retardant properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) and polystyrene

Three different sulfonates (sodium diphenylamine‐4‐sulfonate [SDPAS], 3‐(1‐pyridino)‐1‐propane sulfonate [PPS], and ammonium sulfamate) have been melt blended with polystyrene (PS) or poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and with clay to make composites. All have been examined by X‐ray diffraction to determine the morphology, by thermogravimetry to determine thermal stabilities, and by cone calorimetry to evaluate fire retardancy. All three sulfonates enhance the thermal stability of the PMMA composites, and SDPAS achieves the greatest improvement. SDPAS also seems to aid in the dispersion of the clay in the polymer. Combination of sulfonates (5 or 10 wt% SDPAS, or 5 wt% PPS) with an organically modified clay exhibit enhanced fire retardancy. The three sulfonates did not enhance the thermal stability of the PS composites; however, there is a reduction in the peak heat release rate. The presence of ammonium sulfamate in PS brings about a 52% reduction in the peak heat release rate. The combination of sulfonates (5 or 10 wt% PPS, or 10 wt% SDPAS) with an organically modified clay provides some fire retardancy to the PS composites. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of Coconut and Chestnut Flour Supplementations on Texture,Nutritional and Sensory Properties of Baked Wheat Based Bread

Wheat bread, produced by the single-phase method, is a common food consumed all over the world. Due to changes in lifestyle and nutritional trends, alternative raw materials are sought to increase the nutritional value and improve the taste of daily consumed products. Additionally, customers seek a wide variety of foods, especially when it comes to basic foods. Nuts, such as coconuts or chestnuts, might provide an attractive flavour with benefits to the nutritional quality. In this study, the effect of substituting wheat flour with coconut or chestnut flour (flour contribution level: 5, 10, 15, 30, 50% w/w), was evaluated in terms of the breads specific volume, texture, colour, nutritional composition, and dietary fibre fraction contents. Moreover, a sensory evaluation was conducted to assess potential consumer acceptance. Based on the consumer’s perception, the overall acceptance of bread with 15% w/w of coconut and chestnut flour was in privilege compared to the control sample. As a result, taking all of the tested parameters into account, the breads with 5, 10, and 15% supplementation of chestnut or coconut flour were still of good quality compared to the wheat bread and their fibre content was significantly higher.