Alkali Treatment (alkali + treatment)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Fabrication of Load-Bearing NiTi Scaffolds for Bone Ingrowth by Ni Foam Conversion,

ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 7 2010
Irena Gotman
Highly porous NiTi scaffolds for bone ingrowth were fabricated by reactive conversion (PIRAC) of commercially available Ni foams. These open cell ,trabecular NiTi' scaffolds possess high strength and ductility and exhibit low Ni ion release. PIRAC deposition of a thin titanium nitride (TiN) layer further improves the corrosion characteristics of "trabecular NiTi" and allows for material bioactivation by alkali treatment or biomimetic Ca phosphate deposition. [source]


Myristyl and palmityl acylation of pI 5.1 carboxylesterase from porcine intestine and liver

FEBS JOURNAL, Issue 4 2002
Tissue, subcellular distribution
Immunoblotting analyses revealed the presence of carboxylesterase in the porcine small intestine, liver, submaxillary and parotid glands, kidney cortex, lungs and cerebral cortex. In the intestinal mucosa, the pI 5.1 enzyme was detected in several subcellular fractions including the microvillar fraction. Both fatty monoacylated and diacylated monomeric (F1), trimeric (F3) and tetrameric (F4) forms of the intestinal protein were purified here for the first time by performing hydrophobic chromatography and gel filtration. The molecular mass of these three enzymatic forms was,estimated to be 60, 180 and 240 kDa, respectively, based on size-exclusion chromatography and SDS/PAGE analysis. The existence of a covalent attachment linking palmitate and myristate to porcine intestinal carboxylesterase (PICE), which was suggested by the results of gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) experiments in which the fatty acids resulting from alkali treatment of the protein forms were isolated, was confirmed here by the fact that [3H]palmitic and [3H]myristic acids were incorporated into porcine enterocytes and hepatocytes in cell primary cultures. Besides these two main fatty acids, the presence of oleic, stearic, and arachidonic acids was also detected by GLC and further confirmed by performing radioactivity counts on the 3H-labelled PICE forms after an immunoprecipitation procedure using specific polyclonal antibodies, followed by a SDS/PAGE separation step. Unlike the F1 and F4 forms, which were both myristoylated and palmitoylated, the F3 form was only palmitoylated. The monomeric, trimeric and tetrameric forms of PICE were all able to hydrolyse short chain fatty acids containing glycerides, as well as phorbol esters. The broad specificity of fatty acylated carboxylesterase is discussed in terms of its possible involvement in the metabolism of ester-containing xenobiotics and signal transduction. [source]


The infectivity of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy agent at low doses: the importance of phospholipid

JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2006
P. Gale
Abstract The issue of whether the mechanism of infection is independent or co-operative for low doses of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) agent is critical for risk assessment. The susceptibility (and hence ID50) of individuals with the same prion protein (PrP) genotype may vary considerably with a small proportion being very susceptible. Assuming independent action, the incubation period (IP) would continue to increase until the dose is below the ID50 of the most susceptible individuals in the experiment, at which point it would become constant. This may explain the observed increase in IP with decreasing dose below the apparent ID50 in experiments with untreated TSE agent. In contrast, IPs for autoclaved or NaOH-treated TSE agent increase greatly at doses alkali treatment destroys the PL breaking up the nucleation seeds, which require long IPs to reform at low doses. Replenishing those inactivated PLs with host PL would explain how the phenotypic effect of long IP at low dose is lost on subpassage. It is proposed here that strain thermostability is controlled by the nature and strength of the PrP/PL interactions, which are independent of the host PrP genotype. Although repeated oral exposure to low doses of scrapie is less harmful than a single large exposure, this effect may reflect interference by competition rather than diminished risks due to a co-operative effect, and is of little importance for ,one-off' low-dose environmental exposures. [source]


Structure and properties of phase change materials based on HDPE, soft Fischer-Tropsch paraffin wax, and wood flour

JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 3 2010
M. E. Mngomezulu
Abstract Phase-change materials based on high density polyethylene (HDPE), soft Fischer-Tropsch paraffin wax (M3), and alkali-treated wood flour (WF) were investigated. The blend and composite samples were prepared by melt mixing using a Brabender Plastograph, followed by melt pressing. They were characterized in terms of their morphology, as well as thermal, mechanical, thermo-mechanical, and water absorption properties. Although SEM micrographs showed some evidence of intimate contact between the WF particles and the HDPE matrix as a result of alkali treatment, poor filler dispersion, and interfacial adhesion were also observed. Partial immiscibility of the HDPE and the M3 wax was noticed, with the WF particles covered by wax. There was plasticization of the HDPE matrix by the wax, as well as partial cocrystallization, inhomogeneity and uneven wax dispersion in the polymer matrix. The HDPE/WF/M3 wax composites were more homogeneous than the blends. The presence of wax reduced the thermal stability of the blends and composites. Both the presence of M3 wax and WF influenced the viscoelastic behavior of HDPE. The HDPE/M3 wax blends showed an increase in the interfacial amorphous content as the wax content increases, which resulted in the appearance of a ,-relaxation peak. The presence of M3 wax in HDPE reduced the mechanical properties of the blends. For the composites these properties varied with WF content. An increase in wax content resulted to a decrease in water uptake by the composites, probably because the wax covered the WF particles and penetrated the pores in these particles. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010 [source]


Tensile and lignocellulosic properties of Prosopis chilensis natural fabric

JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 5 2010
G. Venkata Reddy
Abstract The uniaxial natural fabric Prosopis chilensis was treated with NaOH (alkali), poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and polycarbonate (PC) solutions. The Prosopis chilensis fabric belongs to Leguminosae family. The properties of ligno-cellulosic fabric and the effect of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) treatment were evaluated using thermal analysis by means of thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry analysis, Autonated total reflection-fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and field emission scanning electron microscopy. Tensile properties of the untreated and fabric treated with NaOH, PVA, and PC were also studied to assess their performance. The fabric has good thermal resistance on alkali treatment. The FTIR method indicates lowering the hemi cellulose and lignin content by alkali treatment. Further, the XRD studies reveal that crystallinity of the fabric increases on alkali treatment. Tensile properties of the fabric were enhanced on treatments with NaOH, PVA, and PC treatments. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010 [source]


EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX ASSEMBLY IN DIATOMS (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE).

JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, Issue 2 2006

The effects of phosphate (P) limitation, varying salinity (5,65 psu), and solid media growth conditions on the polysaccharides produced by the model diatom, Phaeodactylum tricornutum Bohlin were determined. Sequential extraction was used to separate polymers into colloidal (CL), colloidal extracellular polymeric substances (cEPS), hot water soluble (HW), hot bicarbonate soluble (HB), and hot alkali (HA) soluble fractions. Media-soluble polymers (CL and cEPS) were enriched in 4-linked mannosyl, glucosyl, and galactosyl residues as well as terminal and 3-linked xylosyl residues, whereas HW polymers consisted mainly of 3-linked glucosyl as well as terminal and 2,4-linked glucuronosyl residues. The HB fraction was enriched in terminal and 2-linked rhamnosyl residues derived from the mucilage coating solubilized by this treatment. Hot alkali treatment resulted in the complete dissolution of the frustule releasing 2,3- and 3-linked mannosyl residues. The fusiform morphotype predominated in standard and P-limited cultures and cultures subjected to salinity variations, but growth on solid media resulted in an enrichment of the oval morphotype. The proportion and linkages of 15 residues, including neutral, uronic acid, and O -methylated sugars, varied with environmental conditions. P limitation and salinity changes resulted in 1.5- to 2.5,fold increase in carbohydrate production, with enrichment of highly branched/substituted and terminal rhamnose, xylose, and fucose as well as O -methylated sugars, uronic acids, and sulfate. The increased deoxy- and O -methylated sugar content under unfavorable environments enhances the hydrophobicity of the polymers, whereas the anionic components may play important roles in ionic cross-linking, suggesting that these changes could ameliorate the effects of salinity or P-stress and that these altered polysaccharide characteristics may be useful as bioindicators for environmental stress. [source]


Effects of alkali and silane treatment on the mechanical properties of jute-fiber-reinforced recycled polypropylene composites

JOURNAL OF VINYL & ADDITIVE TECHNOLOGY, Issue 3 2010
Xinxin Wang
Jute-fibers-reinforced thermoplastic composites are widely used in the automobile, packaging, and electronic industries because of their various advantages such as low cost, ease of recycling, and biodegradability. However, the applications of these kinds of composites are limited because of their unsatisfactory mechanical properties, which are caused by the poor interfacial compatibility between jute fibers and the thermoplastic matrix. In this work, four methods, including (i) alkali treatment, (ii) alkali and silane treatment, (iii) alkali and (maleic anhydride)-polypropylene (MAPP) treatment, and (iv) alkali, silane, and MAPP treatment (ASMT) were used to treat jute fibers and improve the interfacial adhesion of jute-fiber-reinforced recycled polypropylene composites (JRPCS). The mechanical properties and impact fracture surfaces of the composites were observed, and their fracture mechanism was analyzed. The results showed that ASMT composites possessed the optimum comprehensive mechanical properties. When the weight fraction of jute fibers was 15%, the tensile strength and impact toughness were increased by 46 and 36%, respectively, compared to those of untreated composites. The strongest interfacial adhesion between jute fibers and recycled polypropylene was obtained for ASMT composites. The fracture styles of this kind of composite included fiber breakage, fiber pull-out, and interfacial debonding. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 2010. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers. [source]


The influence of chemical surface modification on the performance of sisal-polyester biocomposites

POLYMER COMPOSITES, Issue 2 2002
S. Misra
This article concerns the effectiveness of various types and degrees of surface modification of sisal fibers involving dewaxing, alkali treatment, bleaching cyanoethylation and viny1 grafting in enhancing the mechanical properties, such as tensile, flexural and impact strength, of sisal-polyester biocomposites. The mechanical properties are optimum at a fiber loading of 30 wt%. Among all modifications, cyanoethylation and alkali treatment result in improved properties of the biocomposites. Cyanoethylated sisal-polyester composite exhibited maximum tensile strength (84.29 MPa). The alkali treated sisal-polyester composite exhibited best flexural (153.94 MPa) and impac strength (197.88 J/m), which are, respectively, 21.8% and 20.9% higher than the corresponding mechanical properties of the untreated sisal-polyester composites. In the case of vinyl grafting, acrylonitrile (AN)-grafted sisal-polyester composites show better mechanical properties than methyl-methacrylate (MMA)-grafted sisal composites. Scanning electron microscopic studies were carried out to analyze the fiber-matrix interaction in various surface-modified sisal-polyester composites. [source]