Effects of Organic Acids on the Release of Fruity Esters in Water: An Insight at the Molecular Level

It is well known that organic acids (OAs) could affect the flavour of fruit juices and beverages. However, the molecular mechanism of aroma release is still unclear. In this study, the effects of citric acid (CA), L-(-)-malic acid (MA) and L-lactic acid (LA) on the release of six selected esters and their sensory perception were investigated by means of HS-GC-MS analyses and odour detection threshold determination, respectively. Meanwhile, the density functional theory (DFT) calculation was employed to explore the interaction modes between esters and OAs. HS-GC-MS analyses showed that the concentration and the type of OAs regulated the release of esters. The results were basically consistent with the detection threshold change of those esters. The DFT calculation suggested that the main intermolecular interaction was hydrogen bonds, and several esters could form a ternary ring structure with OAs through hydrogen bonds. The interactions can induce the different release behaviours of esters in OAs water solution. The number of carboxyl functional groups in OAs and the spatial conformation of esters appeared to influence the magnitude of the interaction. The above results demonstrated the mechanism of OAs affecting the release of esters and indicated a possible flavour control way by using different OAs and OA concentrations.     

Base-Promoted Formylation and N-Difluoromethylation of Azaindoles with Ethyl Bromodifluoroacetate as a Carbon Source

Main observation and conclusion We reported for the first time that ethyl bromodifluoroacetate directly reacts with azaindole without transition metal catalysis...     

Enzymatic Synthesis of a Diastereomer of Neoabyssomicin Derivative Using the Diels-Alderase AbyU

Main observation and conclusion The enzyme AbyU catalyses a Diels-Alder (DA) reaction during abyssomicin C biosynthesis.In this study,AbyU is shown to convert t...     

Study on the flow resistance of the dispersion system of deformable preformed particle gel in porous media using LBM-DEM-IMB method

After being injected into the porous media, the dispersion system of preformed particle gel (PPG) tends to enter high permeability regions and block water channeling passages, which forces the subsequent water to turn to the low permeability regions and thus increases sweep efficiency and enhances oil recovery. However, it is still unclear about the influence factors and the mechanisms how PPG increases water flow resistance, which limits the application of PPG in more oilfields. Therefore, the paper combines the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM), the discrete element method (DEM) and the improved immersed moving boundary (IMB) method to simulate the migration of deformable PPG in porous media. On the basis, the paper quantitatively analyzes the variation law of displacement pressure across the porous media and discusses the influence factors such as the PPG diameter, elasticity modulus and the number concentration. Results indicate that, because of the friction and retention of PPG in pore-throat, the displacement pressure across the porous media during PPG flooding is much higher than that during water flooding. In other words, the existence of PPG increases the flow resistance of injected water. Besides, the displacement pressure is always fluctuant resulting from the continuous process of PPG migration, retention, deformation and remigration. Influence factor analysis shows that the incremental value and fluctuation degree of flow resistance increase with the PPG diameter, elasticity modulus and the number concentration. The study not only provides useful reference for future PPG flooding, but also benefits the development of deformable particle flow theory.     

SYNTHESIS OF CeO2 NANOPARTICLES IN W/ O MICROEMULSION

The phase composition and properties of microemulsion system of Titron N-101 / n-pentanol/ n-octane/ water (ammonia solution) were studied. CeO₂ nanopaticles were prepared by the reaction of cerous nitrate.     

Adsorptive removal of nitrogen-containing compounds from fuel by metal-organic frameworks

The adsorptive denitrogenation from fuels over three metal-organic frameworks(MIL-96(Al),MIL-53(Al)and MIL-101(Cr))was studied by batch adsorption experiments.Four nitrogen-containing compounds(NCCs)pyridine,pyrrole,quinoline and indole were used as model NCCs in fuels to study the adsorption mechanism.The physicochemical properties of the adsorbents were characterized by XRD,N2physical adsorption,FT-IR spectrum and Hammett indicator method.The metal-organic frameworks(MOFs),especially the MIL-101(Cr)containing Lewis acid sites as well as high specific surface area,can adsorb large quantities of NCCs from fuels.In addition,the adsorptive capacity over MIL-101(Cr)will be different for NCCs with different basicity.The stronger basicity of the NCC is,the more it can be absorbed over MIL-101(Cr).Furthermore,pore size and shape also affect the adsorption capacity for a given adsorbate,which can be proved by the adsorption over MIL-53(Al)and MIL-96(Al).The pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir equation can be used to describe kinetics and thermodynamics of the adsorption process,respectively.Finally,the regeneration of the used adsorbent has been conducted successfully by just washing it with ethanol.     

Graphene with time-dependent spin-orbit coupling: truncated Magnus expansion approach

We analyze the role of an ac-driven Rashba spin-orbit coupling in monolayer graphene including a spin-dependent mass term. Using the Magnus expansion as a semi-analytical approximation scheme a full account of the quasienergie spectrum of spin states is given. We discuss the subtleties arising in correctly applying the Magnus expansion technique in order to determine the quasienergy spectrum. Comparison to the exact numerical solution gives appropriate boundaries to the validity of the Magnus expansion solution.     

Experimental investigation on bit-rate-adaptive software synchronous optical sampling

A tunable optical rail is embedded into the cavity of a nonlinear-polarization-rotation(NPR) mode-locked fiber laser to generate a sampling pulse with different repetition frequencies and realize bit-rate-adaptive software synchronous optical sampling.Two ultrashort pulses(20.26677 and 20.22900 MHz) are derived,and a 100-MHz data signal is sampled twice with these pulses based on sum-frequency generation(SFG) in periodically poled lithium niobate(PPLN).The eye diagram is successfully recovered,and an estimated bit rate of 102.22 MHz is derived.This method is feasible for bit rates ranging from 200 MHz to 1 GHz,with <3% relative error.     

High-performance Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalysts for methanol steam reforming with enhanced Cu-ZnO synergy effect via magnesium assisted strategy

Methanol steam reforming (MSR) is an attractive approach to produce hydrogen for fuel cells.Due to the limited catalyst loading volume and frequent start-ups an...     

Size-refinement enhanced flexibility and electrochemical performance of MXene electrodes for flexible waterproof supercapacitors

Increasing mechanical flexibility without sacrificing electrochemical performance of the electrode mate-rial is highly desired in the design of flexible electro...