Macroscopic, neat, single-walled carbon nanotube fibers

Well-aligned macroscopic fibers composed solely of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were produced by conventional spinning. Fuming sulfuric acid charges SWNTs and promotes their ordering into an aligned phase of individual mobile SWNTs surrounded by acid anions. This ordered dispersion was extruded via solution spinning into continuous lengths of macroscopic neat SWNT fibers. Such fibers possess interesting structural composition and physical properties.     

Adsorption of Congo Red on Various Activated Carbons. A Comparative Study

Studies on the removal of Congo Red (CR) by adsorption on variousactivated carbons [commercial activated carbon (CAC) and indigenously prepared activated carbons(IPACs) from raw materialslike bamboo dust, coconut shell, groundnut shell, rice husk, and straw] have beencarried out with an aim to obtain information on treating effluents from dye/textile industries. The effect of various experimental parameters has been investigated by following batchadsorption technique at 30 ± 1 °C. The percentage removal of dye increased with the decrease in initial concentration, initial pH of the dye solution and particle size of IPACs and increase in contact time and dose of adsorbent. Adsorption data were modelled with the Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherms and first order kinetic equations such asNatarajan and Khalaf, Lagergren, Bhattacharya and Venkbachar equations and intra-particle diffusion model and the models werefound to be applicable. The kinetics of adsorption is observed tobe first order with intra-particle diffusion as one of the rate determining steps. Removal of dye using IPACs is found to be favourable and hence, IPACs could be considered as alternatives to CAC for the treatment of textile effluents, especially for theremoval of dye(s).     

Investigation of Natural Extracts and Sodium Bisulfite Impact on Thermal Signals and Physicochemical Compositions of Litopenaeus vannamei during Chilled Storage

This research work evaluates the impact of 1.2% pomegranate peel extract (Pp) (Punica granatum), 0.1% grapefruit seed (Gfs) (Citrus paradisi) extract, and synthetic preservative 1.25% sodium bisulfite on shelf life extension of Litopenaeus vannamei stored at 4 and 15°C. The application of isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) for comparison of the extracts and chemical preservative on shrimp quality retention based on the overall heat production by microbial and enzymatic degradation was addressed. The occurrence of probable bioactive responsible for antimicrobial and antioxidant activity components in the extracts was examined through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS). At 4°C, Pp-treated shrimps resulted in 6.73 logCFU/g, 6.93 logCFU/g, 5.31 mgN/100 g, and 0.58 mgMDA/kg for aerobic plate count, psychrotrophic bacterial count, trimethylamine, and thiobarbituric-acid reactive substance, respectively, on the 15th day. At 15°C, Pp-coated shrimps retained quality until day 4. Isothermal calorimetric analysis resulted in a rapid and sharp peak for fresh samples, whereas there was broad and delayed peak for shrimp treated with Pp and sodium bisulfite. These observations prove that Pp counterpart the chemical preservative and outperform Gfs on shrimp quality retention. Results also indicate that isothermal calorimetry can be a useful technique for shelf life predictions and comparative evaluation of extract impact on shrimp quality retention.