Novel Micro- and Nano-particles Cellulose Based Pickering Emulsions.

2011 ◽  
Vol 1357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabelle Capron ◽  
Hervé Bizot ◽  
Solène Grosbois ◽  
Heiko Winter ◽  
Bernard Cathala

AbstractEmulsions are usually metastable systems of two non-miscible phases stabilized by surface active species like surfactant molecules. Emulsions stabilized by solid colloidal particles adsorbed at the interface (Pickering emulsions) offer some competitive advantages with respect to classical emulsions. Most studies published up to now concern emulsions stabilized by inorganic (metallic oxides, exfoliated clays, carbonates and phosphates) or polymeric particles while biomass derived alternatives have only been explored to a limited extent. For the first time, we report the stabilization of emulsions by unmodified cellulose nanocrystals [1, 2] . Cellulose nanocrystals were produced from bacterial cellulose and used to form Pickering emulsions. We demonstrate by SEM that the nanocrystals are adsorbed at the oil/water interface. We also study the size distribution of the droplets that was found to range around 4μm in diameter with very narrow dispersity. The stability of the emulsions was also investigated. The fabrication of new armored microparticles exposing cellulose acicular nanocrystals from cellulose nanocrystals opens opportunities to build materials from low cost and environmental friendly resource.

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 403-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Burak Yüksel ◽  
Cristian Secchi ◽  
Heinrich H. Bülthoff ◽  
Antonio Franchi

This paper proposes the use of a novel control method based on interconnection and damping assignment–passivity-based control (IDA-PBC) in order to address the aerial physical interaction (APhI) problem for a quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The apparent physical properties of the quadrotor are reshaped in order to achieve better APhI performances, while ensuring the stability of the interaction through passivity preservation. The robustness of the IDA-PBC method with respect to sensor noise is also analyzed. The direct measurement of the external wrench, needed to implement the control method, is compared with the use of a nonlinear Lyapunov-based wrench observer and advantages/disadvantages of both methods are discussed. The validity and practicability of the proposed APhI method is evaluated through experiments, where for the first time in the literature, a lightweight all-in-one low-cost force/torque (F/T) sensor is used onboard of a quadrotor. Two main scenarios are shown: a quadrotor responding to external disturbances while hovering (physical human–quadrotor interaction), and the same quadrotor sliding with a rigid tool along an uneven ceiling surface (inspection/painting-like task).


Author(s):  
Dorra Saidane ◽  
Emilie Perrin ◽  
Fanch Cherhal ◽  
Florian Guellec ◽  
Isabelle Capron

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are negatively charged colloidal particles well known to form highly stable surfactant-free Pickering emulsions. These particles can vary in surface charge density depending on their preparation by acid hydrolysis or applying post-treatments. CNCs with three different surface charge densities were prepared corresponding to 0.08, 0.16 and 0.64 e nm −2 , respectively. Post-treatment might also increase the surface charge density. The well-known TEMPO-mediated oxidation substitutes C 6 -hydroxyl groups by C 6 -carboxyl groups on the surface. We report that these different modified CNCs lead to stable oil-in-water emulsions. TEMPO-oxidized CNC might be the basis of further modifications. It is shown that they can, for example, lead to hydrophobic CNCs with a simple method using quaternary ammonium salts that allow producing inverse water-in-oil emulsions. Different from CNC modification before emulsification, modification can be carried out on the droplets after emulsification. This way allows preparing functional capsules according to the layer-by-layer process. As a result, it is demonstrated here the large range of use of these biobased rod-like nanoparticles, extending therefore their potential use to highly sophisticated formulations. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Soft interfacial materials: from fundamentals to formulation’.


2022 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Xu ◽  
Zhifan Li ◽  
Haomin Sun ◽  
Shuqing Zheng ◽  
He Li ◽  
...  

Food-grade high internal-phase Pickering emulsions (HIPPEs) stabilized by solid or colloidal particles with different advantages have attracted extensive attention nowadays. However, looking for new appropriate particle stabilizers is the common practice for HIPPEs preparation. It is crucial to find a new strategy for the development of functional HIPPEs with controllable properties. In this study, a high concentration of xanthan gum/lysozyme nanoparticles (XG/Ly NPs) was used for the preparation of HIPPEs for the first time. Visual observations, creaming index (CI), microstructure, and rheology tests were carried out to investigate the potential of XG/Ly NPs as HIPPEs stabilizers. Results indicated that XG/Ly NPs could stabilize oil droplets in the concentration range of 0.5–4% (w/v). The HIPPEs with a minimal particle concentration of 1% exhibited remarkable physical stability. Rheological measurements showed that a high stability of solid-like HIPPEs was successfully obtained with a higher concentration of XG/Ly NPs. Overall, the HIPPEs stabilized by different concentrations of XG/Ly NPs exhibited excellent rheological and structural properties, which might provide a feasible strategy for the development of functional emulsion systems with controllable structures.


1943 ◽  
Vol 3 (S1) ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Curtis P. Nettels

One influence of war has repeatedly asserted itself in the past—an effect on the costs of production and on the competitive position of the industries and firms of victorious or neutral nations. This subject needs more study, but certain facts suggest a hypothesis, of three parts. First: war expands some industries or concerns, increases their efficiency, enables them to operate, at the end of the struggle, on a comparatively low-cost basis, intensifies their competitive advantages, and improves their position in relation to foreign competitors. Second: war—for the duration—bolsters up some high-cost units by enabling them to sell at a profit all they can produce. The end of the war places such high-cost units at a disadvantage in the process of absorbing the shocks of the transition to a peacetime economy. Third: the history of postwar periods usually exhibits a sharp contest between such low-cost and high-cost enterprises. While “low cost” and “high cost” may refer to the relative positions of units within the same country, in most of this discussion, the terms will be applied to the producers of one country (either victor or neutral) to mean that their costs are low or high in comparison with those of their foreign competitors.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 1977
Author(s):  
Ricardo Oliveira ◽  
Liliana M. Sousa ◽  
Ana M. Rocha ◽  
Rogério Nogueira ◽  
Lúcia Bilro

In this work, we demonstrate for the first time the capability to inscribe long-period gratings (LPGs) with UV radiation using simple and low cost amplitude masks fabricated with a consumer grade 3D printer. The spectrum obtained for a grating with 690 µm period and 38 mm length presented good quality, showing sharp resonances (i.e., 3 dB bandwidth < 3 nm), low out-of-band loss (~0.2 dB), and dip losses up to 18 dB. Furthermore, the capability to select the resonance wavelength has been demonstrated using different amplitude mask periods. The customization of the masks makes it possible to fabricate gratings with complex structures. Additionally, the simplicity in 3D printing an amplitude mask solves the problem of the lack of amplitude masks on the market and avoids the use of high resolution motorized stages, as is the case of the point-by-point technique. Finally, the 3D printed masks were also used to induce LPGs using the mechanical pressing method. Due to the better resolution of these masks compared to ones described on the state of the art, we were able to induce gratings with higher quality, such as low out-of-band loss (0.6 dB), reduced spectral ripples, and narrow bandwidths (~3 nm).


Drones ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
Adrien Michez ◽  
Stéphane Broset ◽  
Philippe Lejeune

In the context of global biodiversity loss, wildlife population monitoring is a major challenge. Some innovative techniques such as the use of drones—also called unmanned aerial vehicle/system (UAV/UAS)—offer promising opportunities. The potential of UAS-based wildlife census using high-resolution imagery is now well established for terrestrial mammals or birds that can be seen on images. Nevertheless, the ability of UASs to detect non-conspicuous species, such as small birds below the forest canopy, remains an open question. This issue can be solved with bioacoustics for acoustically active species such as bats and birds. In this context, UASs represent an interesting solution that could be deployed on a larger scale, at lower risk for the operator, and over hard-to-reach locations, such as forest canopies or complex topographies, when compared with traditional protocols (fixed location recorders placed or handled by human operators). In this context, this study proposes a methodological framework to assess the potential of UASs in bioacoustic surveys for birds and bats, using low-cost audible and ultrasound recorders mounted on a low-cost quadcopter UAS (DJI Phantom 3 Pro). The proposed methodological workflow can be straightforwardly replicated in other contexts to test the impact of other UAS bioacoustic recording platforms in relation to the targeted species and the specific UAS design. This protocol allows one to evaluate the sensitivity of UAS approaches through the estimate of the effective detection radius for the different species investigated at several flight heights. The results of this study suggest a strong potential for the bioacoustic monitoring of birds but are more contrasted for bat recordings, mainly due to quadcopter noise (i.e., electronic speed controller (ESC) noise) but also, in a certain manner, to the experimental design (use of a directional speaker with limited call intensity). Technical developments, such as the use of a winch to safely extent the distance between the UAS and the recorder during UAS sound recordings or the development of an innovative platform, such as a plane–blimp hybrid UAS, should make it possible to solve these issues.


Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1282
Author(s):  
Ioannis Deretzis ◽  
Corrado Bongiorno ◽  
Giovanni Mannino ◽  
Emanuele Smecca ◽  
Salvatore Sanzaro ◽  
...  

The realization of stable inorganic perovskites is crucial to enable low-cost solution-processed photovoltaics. However, the main candidate material, CsPbI3, suffers from a spontaneous phase transition at room temperature towards a photo-inactive orthorhombic δ-phase (yellow phase). Here we used theoretical and experimental methods to study the structural and electronic features that determine the stability of the CsPbI3 perovskite. We argued that the two physical characteristics that favor the black perovskite phase at low temperatures are the strong spatial confinement in nanocrystalline structures and the level of electron doping in the material. Within this context, we discussed practical procedures for the realization of long-lasting inorganic lead halide perovskites.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 325-334
Author(s):  
Neda Javadi ◽  
Hamed Khodadadi Tirkolaei ◽  
Nasser Hamdan ◽  
Edward Kavazanjian

The stability (longevity of activity) of three crude urease extracts was evaluated in a laboratory study as part of an effort to reduce the cost of urease for applications that do not require high purity enzyme. A low-cost, stable source of urease will greatly facilitate engineering applications of urease such as biocementation of soil. Inexpensive crude extracts of urease have been shown to be effective at hydrolyzing urea for carbonate precipitation. However, some studies have suggested that the activity of a crude extract may decrease with time, limiting the potential for its mass production for commercial applications. The stability of crude urease extracts shown to be effective for biocementation was studied. The crude extracts were obtained from jack beans via a simple extraction process, stored at room temperature and at 4 ℃, and periodically tested to evaluate their stability. To facilitate storage and transportation of the extracted enzyme, the longevity of the enzyme following freeze drying (lyophilization) to reduce the crude extract to a powder and subsequent re-hydration into an aqueous solution was evaluated. In an attempt to improve the shelf life of the lyophilized extract, dextran and sucrose were added during lyophilization. The stability of purified commercial urease following rehydration was also investigated. Results of the laboratory tests showed that the lyophilized crude extract maintained its activity during storage more effectively than either the crude extract solution or the rehydrated commercial urease. While incorporating 2% dextran (w/v) prior to lyophilization of the crude extract increased the overall enzymatic activity, it did not enhance the stability of the urease during storage.


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