Cantab Research Articles

TOPS OF BEVERAGE CANS ARE A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF INFECTION: A STUDY OF BACTERIAL LOAD PRESENT ON THE LIDS OF BEVERAGE CANS

It is common practice to drink directly from tops of beverage cans which are exposed to environmental contaminants during handling and storage. The purpose of this research was to determine the bacterial load present on the lids of beverage cans and find out the ways to significantly reduce the number of bacteria present on them. One hundred and eighty apparently clean and non-refrigerated beverage cans were collected from different shops and divided into two groups. First group was used for cleaning experiments and second group was used to determine the effect of refrigeration on bacterial load. Different types of bacteria were isolated which belonged to Bacillus spp, Staphylococcus spp, Corynebacterium spp, Streptococcus spp, Klebsiella spp and Escherichia spp. AST result pattern of S. aureus isolates did not show the presence of MRSA and MSSA. E. coli isolates were found to be highly sensitive to ceftriaxone and highly resistant to erythromycin. Cleaning with tap water plus wiping with dry tissue resulted in maximum removal of bacterial load (76.6%) as compared to other methods (68.8% with dry tissue and 47.3% with tap water) and is thus the most effective method for this purpose. Refrigeration lowered the bacterial load by 16.6%, but it depends upon the type of bacteria present. Beverage cans are present in different environments and are handled by different people and thus can be a potential source of infection for the consumers. It is highly recommended that beverage cans should be cleaned before drinking.

Synthesis of Zeolite Based Material With Aluminum Sources from Used Beverage Cans for Hard Water Desalination

Hard water contains high mineral content, especially calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg). Hard water can cause health problems and damage to household appliances within a certain period of time. In this study, zeolite-based materials have been synthesized as adsorbent materials to reduce the concentration of Ca2+ and Mg2+ in the hard water obtained from Brondong district of Lamongan, East Java. Zeolite based material was synthesized with aluminum sources derived from beverage cans and silica from silica gel. In this study, zeolite was prepared by microwave (ZM) and without the microwave method (ZNM). The amount of ZM was 10.8121 grams, or 99.1% of the yield, and ZNM was 10.5387 grams or 99.15% of the yield. The FTIR results indicate some characteristic peaks of T-O and T-O-T bonds (T = Si/Al) at 460, 670, 726, and 980–1100 cm1. The diffractogram show that ZNM is still dominated by silica-based materials, while ZM although it still shows dominant amorphous silica peaks, some characteristic zeolite peaks also appear. The SEM results show the shapes of agglomerated tiny particles for both materials. In this study, the synthesized zeolite can reduce the concentration of Ca2+ ions by 84–97% and Mg2+ ions by 23-51%. The optimal time obtained in this study was 30 minutes, while the optimal mass obtained was 0.5 grams for all materials.

Synthesis and Characterization of Cobalt Free LiNiO<sub>2</sub> Substituted by Al-Doping from Beverage Cans via Solid-State Method

Lithium metal oxide such as NMC and NCA have been widely commercialized as electric vehicles. However, the cobalt content in the material is harmful to the environment, toxic, and expensive. This research aims to create a cathode material with a lower cost, efficient, and eco-friendly by extracting aluminum from the beverage cans waste as a cation-doping on the substitution of nickel material elements to repair material stability and electrochemistry performance. This study synthesized LNO cathode material by a solid-state method because it is low production cost and easy to synthesize. The extraction of beverage can waste successfully synthesized into alumina compounds corresponding to JCPDS card No. 29-0063. LNO cathode materials were prepared with a stoichiometric composition variation of LNO-P, LNO-Al 0.03, LNO-Al 0.07, and LNO-Al 0.1. Materials that have been successfully synthesized will be tested by X-Ray Diffraction to indicate that the material has a layered-hexagonal structure with high degree ordering. Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy tests to determine the composition of functional groups on LNO materials. The Scanning Electron Microscope analyzes the shape and morphology of surface material particles. Electrochemical testing uses cylinder batteries with a current of 0.1 C (1 C = 200 mA g-1) and a voltage of 2.6-4.3 volts, where obtained batteries LNO-P, LNO-Al 0.03, LNO-Al 0.07, and LNO-Al 0.1 with discharge capacity of 4.22 mAh g-1, 31.82 mAh g-1, 36.67 mAh g-1, and 37.48 mAh g-1

Hereditary influence of deformed waste on the efficiency of Al–Si–Mg and Al–Mg alloy modification

The paper provides the results of studies into the effect of the charge composition on the structure and mechanical properties of Al–Si–Mg (AK9ch) and Al–Mg (AMg6l) cast aluminum alloys. It was shown that deformed waste included in the charge composition (electrical waste of aluminum and waste of beverage cans based on the 3104 alloy – for AK9ch; AMg6 alloy plates – for AMg6l) contributes to the formation of dispersed micro- and macrostructure of working alloys in the solid state. The effect of modification (AlSr20 master alloy – for AK9ch; AlTi5 master alloy – for AMg6l) on the structure and mechanical properties of alloys obtained with various charge options was studied. Experiments on the effect of the charge composition on the AK9ch and AMg6l modifiability showed that the deformed waste structure is partially inherited by working alloys through the liquid state. With similar chemical compositions, alloys obtained with an increased proportion of deformed waste in the charge composition feature by smaller micro- and macrostructure sizes and improved mechanical properties (tensile strength and tensile elongation). It was found that when a certain amount of the modifier element (0.06 % Sr for the AK9ch alloy; 0.04 % Ti for the AMg6l alloy) is exceeded in these alloys, the over-modification effect appears. This is expressed in enlarged micro- and macrostructure parameters, as well as lowered tensile strength. The results obtained show that the optimal amount of the deformed waste proportion in the charge composition will make it possible to reduce the consumption of expensive modifying master alloys with a guaranteed effect of modification in practice.

Food and beverage can coatings: A review on chemical analysis, migration, and risk assessment.

The internal surface of food and beverage cans is generally covered with polymeric coatings to preserve food and protect metal substrate from corrosion. Coating materials are complex formulations that contain different starting substances (e.g., monomers, prepolymers, additives, etc.) and in addition during the manufacture of the material several compounds can be formed (e.g., reaction products, degradation products, etc.). These substances have the potential to migrate into the food. Many of them have not been identified and only some have been toxicologically evaluated. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review on the analytical methods used for the identification of potential migrants in can coatings. The migration and exposure to chemicals migrating from can coatings are also reviewed and discussed so far, which is essential for risk assessment. Moreover, a brief section on the current status of the legislation on varnishes and coatings for food contact in Europe is also presented. Liquid chromatography coupled to diode array and fluorescence detectors and particularly to mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry seem to be the techniques of choice for the identification of potential migrants in can coatings. Some studies have reported migration levels of BPA (bisphenol A) and BADGE (bisphenol A diglycidyl ether) and derivatives exceeding the specific migration limits set in the European legislation. On the whole, low dietary exposure to migrants from can coatings has been reported. However, it is interesting to highlight that in these studies the combined exposure to multiple chemicals has not been considered.

Experimental investigation on the performance of aluminium soda can solar air heater

This paper presents the use of discarded soda cans in harnessing solar energy for heating of homes, preheating of air in industries and for agricultural drying purposes. Aluminum soda cans were used as the absorber plate of solar air heater and the performance was studied. The soda can air heaters (SCAHs) were designed and fabricated. The configurations of the system (active, passive and number of flow passes) and the mode that gave the best performance for a particular purpose were determined. The tests were carried out in rainy and dry seasons of the year which are the only seasons in the tropics. The SCAH was able to raise the air temperature through it to 128 °C in a four-pass mode active system. This result was achieved when the collector was tilted 21° to the horizontal facing south. Other lower temperatures achieved are good for home heating and agricultural drying purposes. The results indicate that single-pass SCAH produces more useful energy and performs better when compared to four-pass SCAH in active mode. The results were consistent in all the modes and showed that in whichever mode and the season, the SCAH was able to establish a good temperature difference in the fluid.

Glided acoustic higher-order topological insulators based on spoof surface acoustic waves

Higher-order topological insulator hosts both gapped edge states and in-gap corner states, which has garnered considerable attentions in the field of condensed matter physics, and most recently is further extended to the classical wave systems. Conventional acoustic metamaterials have intrinsic material and design limitations that prevent them from being used to create such states in subwavelength scale with function reconfigurability. Recently, the acoustic second-order topological insulators (SOTIs) composed of locally resonant metamaterials were reported to solve the problem, where the topological phase transition is induced by shrinking/expanding metamolecules. Here, we propose an acoustic SOTI in subwavelength scale by another protocol, i.e. gliding metamolecules, and the SOTI is pinned in the nontrivial region without the regular topological phase transition. Soda cans metamaterials in free space are utilized to support the spoof surface acoustic waves. With varying the introduced glided angle, the switching from the bulk to edge and corner states can be achieved accordingly. Furthermore, we not only experimentally observe this state switching process, but also illustrate the robustness of the topological corner states against various defects. Our results provide versatile ways to launch acoustic lower-dimensional topological states that might lead to interesting sound concentration applications.

Retelling Cinderella: Cultural and Creative Transformations

Retelling Cinderella: Cultural and Creative Transformations

Homogenization Process for Aluminum As-Cast from Waste of Beverage Cans

Development an ingot originated from the waste of aluminum product had many the advantages and could reduce the cost of aluminum metal production compared to primary process from ore. In this research used the waste of beverage aluminum cans One of the manufacturing methods conducted recycling aluminum waste is the casting process, Commonly, the problem with this casting process was that they are not homogeneous in the as-cast due to segregation. So that in this study a homogenization process on recycling aluminum castings would be carried out to obtain more homogeneous mechanical properties and microstructure. The variables that influence during the homogenization process was heating temperature and holding time. The heating temperature for this was in range from 450 C to 550 C, and the holding time was 2 to 4 hours. Further the effect of the parameter would observe. The observation included mechanical properties, such as tensile strength and hardness, and Microstructure of the ingot. The operation temperature and holding time influenced to grain size and hardness of Aluminum. In general, increasing homogenization temperature would reduce mechanical properties.

Synthesis and Characterization of Fe2O3 Nanoparticles Reinforced to Recycled Industrial Aluminium Scrap & Waste Aluminium Beverage Cans for Preparing Metal Matrix Nanocomposites

Increased material demand in all sectors is primarily due to exponential growth in population to fulfill human needs and comforts. Recycling of collected aluminium beverage cans and Al 6061 alloy scraps from industries ensures energy savings with reduced environmental problems in fabricating composite parts economically. The iron oxide (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles were prepared by precipitation method using ferric chloride and ammonia as a precursor. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized by using Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR). Stir cast processing route ensures uniform mix of reinforcement nanoparticles in matrix material. The prepared nanocomposites (matrix: Al Scrap (90% Scrap Al 6061 alloy + 10% Waste Al can); reinforcement: 2%, 4% and 6% wt. of Al matrix) were mechanically characterized for hardness and tensile strengths. It was observed that, increased percent of Fe2O3 nanoparticles in the metal matrix nanocomposite (MMCs) resulted in significant increase in hardness and tensile strength values. Fractography analysis examined viz. scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed a ductile failure for as-cast Al scrap followed by brittle failure in Al MMC's.

An electrochemical sensor for detection of trace-level endocrine disruptor bisphenol A using Mo2Ti2AlC3 MAX phase/MWCNT composite modified electrode

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an industrially preferred material for the production of plastic and polycarbonate as well as a used material for the interior of food and beverage cans. In this study, synthesis and electrochemical sensor application of Mo2Ti2AlC3/MWCNT (multi-walled carbon nanotube) nanocomposite for BPA sensing was evaluated. Mo2Ti2AlC3 was used as MAX phase material in the design of the sensor, and MWCNT was preferred to increase conductivity and sensitivity. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) were used to determine Mo2Ti2AlC3/MWCNT nanocomposite's electrochemical sensor performances which had LOD of 2.7 nM and LOQ of 8.91 nM in the linear working range of 0.01–8.50 μM calculated from DPV. The composite showed a single oxidation step against BPA which is diffusion-controlled and irreversible. The sensor was successfully applied for the determination of BPA in milk pack, plastic bottle, and can with recoveries ranging from 95.67% to 100.60%. In addition, sensor performance was examined through selectivity, repeatability, and reusability studies. HPLC as a standard determination method was carried out for accuracy of the voltammetric determination method in the real samples. The developed sensor could be applied to different areas from industry quality control to clinical analysis for the detection of BPA.

Analysis of Polymeric Composites of Phormium Tenax

Phormium tenax is a vegetal fiber with a mechanical strength of 711 ± 61.1 MPa, which is higher than the range of sisal (468-640MPa) and similar to the well-known curauá fiber (913 MPa). In this study, Phormium tenax composites coated with maleated polypropylene in a polypropylene matrix were prepared with 20%, 30%, and 35wt% of fibers, with and without aluminum sheets made from beverage cans. Some samples were made by extrusion and compression molding process, and others only through compression molding. In addition, density tests indicated lightness in composites of Phormium tenax. Samples were submitted to thermal analyzes, X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transform with Infrared Region, and scanning electron microscopy. Their fibers content of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, ashes,and total extractives are respectively 44.27%, 13.20%, 15.02%, 23.4%, and 4.11%. Some based-PP composites reinforced with Phormium tenax showed improvement in the flexural strength, such as based-PP reinforced with long and continuous fibers, with a flexural strength of 64.94 MPa, and 52,30 MPa, respectively. It was concluded that tensile strength in PP-based composites reinforced with Phormium tenax could be enhanced with some adjustments in the material processing.

Hoarders by Kate Durbin

Reviewed by: Hoarders by Kate Durbin Ginger Danto (bio) hoarders Kate Durbin Wave Books https://www.wavepoetry.com/products/hoarders 184 Pages; Print, $18.00 Their names are Jim, Hannah, Dorothy, Marlena, Maggie, Chuck, Linda, Craig and Ronnie, among others. They hail from such disparate corners of the country as Topanga Canyon, California; Warren, Michigan; Greenville, South Carolina; Ogden, Utah; and Las Vegas, Nevada. They come from all walks of life—economic, social, political—but have seemingly ended up in the same place: in a home so subsumed by accumulated stuff that much of it has passed its expiration date, emitting rank odors, mold, mildew, and other multifarious bacteria growing where it should not. Part oblivious to the deterioration of their hard-earned living quarters, the above-named men and women make up the hapless, has-been population of Kate Durbin's commentary on contemporary culture in the form of a third book of poetry titled Hoarders. Overtaking their property and by extension their psyches, the morass of material stagnating around Durbin's subjects even compromises their physical movement. For example, self-described avid reader and aspiring writer Allie of Chicago, Illinois, wife of teacher and fellow bibliophile Noah, preside over a library that is "filling the house so there are only narrow crevices to worm through; windows black with paperbacks so no natural light comes in; floors buckling under the weight of overstuffed bookshelves." Because it now takes "a little bit of dexterity to get to the stove," says Noah, and that the kitchen "is not a kitchen anymore," the couple subsist on pre-prepared, emergency ration dry food. Despite such hardship, their carefully inventoried, cherished volumes provide an existential comfort. A reason for being. A rationale for how they ended up here in the first place. A place called hoarding. All the more reason not to let anything, not any thing—go. Of a similar mindset, Greg of Melbourne, Florida. declares dubiously "Got a winner" toward the end of his namesake chapter—a first-person narrative [End Page 36] that has him rifling through local gas station garbage for beer cans and lotto tickets. His sentence concludes with the non-italicized "cockroach on a crumb." Melbourne Greg apparently sees fit to get rid of neither—the discarded ticket or the attendant bug of a species known to be an opportunistic denizen of neglected spaces. They go together, roach and refuse, partners in the personal detritus that defines Greg's now derelict life. True to his ilk, i.e., hoarders, Greg harbors quite a lot of "wildlife" in his cobwebbed milieu, including but not limited to water rats, frogs, crickets, fish—dead or alive. "My house right now looks like a cluttered-up junk yard," he notes in a moment of lucidity or resignation, or both. Followed by "bedroom door face down in the kitchen." Contextualizing his observations, Greg recounts a downward spiral of events, beginning with a near-death riding accident that sent him into a coma. He calls himself a survivor. But of what? A sense of crisis still hovers around him, along with mountains of miscellaneous matter. As it does with all of Durbin's hoarders, whose back stories tell of abandonment, abuse, petty arguments, and poor choices, with always the balm of acquisition as an antidote to suffering. "Retail therapy" may be championed on the twenty-four-hour shopping channels to which some are addicted, but the fallout is less than therapeutic. An acknowledged shopaholic, Cathy of Centralia, Illinois. admits her life "is kind of dedicated to shopping." She segues, by way of illustration, with "David's Bridal halter wedding gown with a blusher veil." This list is brief compared with the paragraph-long tally of designer garb, complete with discount prices, that follows her avowal: "I collect lots of things but especially clothes." But ultimately, Cathy's self-awareness devolves into desperation: "I am constantly ordering off(TV)," she writes. "I like the satisfaction of having something new" "I've wasted a lot of money" and finally, "I have a sickness." Cathy completes each of these comments with a detailed list of bought-off-TV-brand-name items with which she has filled her...

Burn

Burn Henriette Rostrup (bio) Translated by Thom Satterlee (bio) Click for larger view View full resolution A girl executes her escape plan, with one unexpected twist at the end. [End Page 28] She walks through the house. It’s quiet now; everyone’s sleeping. Behind the bedroom door she can hear her father’s deep, relaxed breathing: hiss when he inhales, snort when he exhales. She stands waiting, waiting to hear if maybe this next time he doesn’t exhale. But he does, he always does. The bed creaks as he rolls over. Or maybe it’s her mother, turning away from him. The way she’s always turning away from him. Her heart beats faster. She tries to take deep breaths, from all the way down in the pit of her stomach, so she can watch it happen. Then breathe out slowly, without a sound. She mustn’t be scared. She can be scared later. She closes her eyes for a moment before moving on. A floorboard creaks. She stops, listens. Did they hear her? But the only sound in the house is people sleeping. Their breathing, the bed creaking. If you didn’t know better you’d think this was one of those houses where everyone slept through the night, peaceful and calm. Down the stairs and into the living room, with the remains of last night’s party still scattered on the tables. Empty beer cans and liquor bottles, half-empty bowls of stale chips, and overflowing ashtrays that give the living room a sour, ashy smell. On the dining table there are several half-full glasses of what’s probably rum and Coke. She takes one and gulps it down. The sweet, lukewarm liquid burns her throat; she coughs as quietly as she can, holding her hand over her mouth. There’s a creak from the leather sofa, and she turns. One of the men from the party is lying there. She doesn’t recognize him, but now and then they all look the same. She walks up to him. His shirt’s come untucked and the soft flesh of his belly spills over the waistline of his pants. There’s a strip of black hair running down under his belt. She feels queasy. The aftertaste of rum and Coke fills her mouth. And something sour. He grunts a little in his sleep, smacks his lips contentedly, and turns partway round on the sofa as if she didn’t exist. From the coffee table she takes an empty bottle, the one with a pirate captain on its label, and lifts it over his head. Stands with both arms raised ready to bring it down with full force if he wakes up. He makes a little whimper, a sigh, and she can see his eyes darting back and forth under his eyelids. But he doesn’t wake up. Just settling back down. She returns the bottle to its place . . . quiet, quiet. She tries not to make any sound at all as she passes from the living room to the kitchen. She moves as quickly and purposefully as she can but at the same time painstakingly slow, not wanting to make any noise. In her mind, night after night, she has rehearsed her movements through this house. The door between the kitchen and garage sticks; it hasn’t been used in so long. She’s at the point of giving up when it finally gives way with a jerk. She loses her balance and has to reach out behind her. The garbage bag that always hangs on the door falls off and spills its contents on the kitchen floor, which was already dirty. She stands there in an awkward posture holding her breath, listening, but she doesn’t hear anything from the living room or upstairs. Then she kicks the bag aside, straightens up, and steps over the garbage and out into the garage. It’s been a long time since a car was parked here. The space is crammed with junk, old moving boxes her father keeps with odds and ends he thinks he’ll need someday: canned goods, mildewed books, a broken record player. An...

Experimental and Numerical Assessment on Failure Pressure of Textured Pipelines

Abstract A series of physical tests and finite element (FE) analyses are conducted to evaluate the failure of smooth (conventional) and textured (proposed concept) pipes. To do so, hydrostatic pressure tests are performed on aluminum beverage cans (ductile failure) and additively manufactured Ti6Al4V-0406 titanium pipes (brittle failure). Mechanical material properties are obtained from tensile tests of coupon samples. In the absence of physical burst pressure tests, FE models are validated against experimental results of external pressure tests and are used to predict the buckle initiation (Pi) and burst pressure (Pb) capacity of the textured pipes with different number of circumferential triangles, N, and base angles, α. Results show that buckle initiation pressures of the textured concept is 2.34 and 1.80 times greater than those of the smooth aluminum cans and titanium pipes, respectively. However, the burst pressure of the textured pipe can only get 3% greater than the smooth pipe. Based on the current results, a textured pipe with N = 6 and α = 30 deg is the optimum textured design.

Lola’s Good Corn

Fito worked at the C&H sugar factory in Crockett, California, and Dad worked construction with Mr. Ramirez. Working construction always made you hungry and thirsty so they kept tubs of beef jerky and cans of beer under the car seat. Dad was on the overtime crew that tore down the old Vallejo hospital and everybody thought that’s what made him sick. They were all part of this St. Vincent Church religious club in Vallejo, Los Guadalupanos, which meant they shared food, music, stories, and everything. Sometimes, Lola, Fito’s wife, tried to show everybody how to dance to Huapango music and us kids tried to make those clackety sounds outside by crushing old tin Coke cans around our sneakers and clicking our heels on the sidewalk.I don’t know where Pat Valencia worked, or Primo either, but all the ladies, including Carmen, Lily, Alice, Lola, Tia Melicia, and Mom, were always working in the kitchen. During the summer, everybody got jobs at Erickson’s Ranch in Vacaville, and it seemed as if we were always peeling corn. This was after the family moved to Vallejo, California, back in the 1970s, when anyone could get a bucket of vegetables for nothing.At Dad’s wake, we had a ton of food but none of Lola’s good corn because it was the wrong time of year. Lola made the best corn because she put spices and juicy lime all over it. Lola and Fito liked spicy corn because they were from Texas. Lola and Mom were comadres—just like Carmen, Alice, Lilian, and Tia Melicia. They were our godmothers too and our families would eat together and celebrate together. Lola and Fito had three kids, and Tia Melicia had seven; Alice had three, and we had eleven; Pat and Carmen had zero, and Primo and Lily had one. So, all counted—3 + 7 + 3 + 11 + 0 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2—times two ears of corn each meant preparing a whole bushel. Everyone had to work together to pull the husks down and remove all the silky hairs; then we had to use Mom’s giant, black-speckled tamale pot, filling it with water using the garden hose.During the wake, the men and women split up. Fito, Primo, Mr. Ramirez, Pat, and a bunch of other men went to the funeral home, and the women stayed to pray the rosary together. Mom knelt on the carpet with all the women. They remained kneeling without shoes until they finished praying the rosary about a gazillion times. Afterward, they all needed help from us kids to stand up because their feet had gone to sleep. They rubbed their knees, and then all went into the kitchen to get the food ready. It was the first time I realized that you didn’t eat corn on the cob in March and that every food had a season. I just knew that Lola’s corn would have been really good at the time.There is a secret to Lola’s good corn, and a little bit of chile and lime juice can make a party in a minute. Pick small ears of fresh corn and choose the ears with small kernels for cooking. Don’t throw away the corn husks because you can dry them and use them during the holidays for tamales or make dresses for your dolls. Lola always said, “Don’t waste food!”Use a large pot to boil the water. Add salt. Add the corn on the cob and cook for three minutes only. Remove the corn with tongs. Keep the water boiling in case you need to make more. It is not safe to empty a large pot of boiling water.Spice mix: remove the seeds and stems from the chiles (one arbol, one ancho, one guajillo, four New Mexico), toast them, cool them, and then grind everything together with a few saltine crackers, two lime peels, a spoonful of salt, a spoonful of dried oregano, and a spoonful of sugar. When the corn is ready, rub it with butter, squeeze the juice of a lime wedge across the kernels, and then sprinkle with a pinch of the spice mix.

Synthesis of Spinel-Hydroxyapatite Composite Utilizing Bovine Bone and Beverage Can

Spinel-based hydroxyapatite composite (SHC) has been synthesized utilizing bovine bones as the source of the hydroxyapatite (HAp) and beverage cans as the aluminum (Al) source. The bovine bones were defatted and calcined in the air atmosphere to transform them into hydroxyapatite. The beverage cans were cut and milled to obtain fine Al powder and then sieved to obtain three different particle mesh size fractions: +100#, −140# + 170#, and −170#, or Al particle size of >150, 90–150, and <90 µm, respectively. The SHC was synthesized using the self-propagating intermediate-temperature synthesis (SIS) method at 900 °C for 2 h with (HAp:Al:Mg) ratio of (87:10:3 wt.%) and various compaction pressure of 100, 171, and 200 MPa. It was found that the mechanical properties of the SHC are influenced by the Al particle size and the compaction pressure. Smaller particle size produces the tendency of increasing the hardness and reducing the porosity of the composite. Meanwhile, increasing compaction pressure produces a reduction of the SHC porosity. The increase in the hardness is also observed by increasing the compaction pressure except for the smallest Al particle size (<90 µm), where the hardness instead becomes smaller.

Sawdust drying in a series of rectangular base spouted beds using solar energy

The present work reports experimental results and a statistical analysis of sawdust drying in a direct contact dynamic dryer using solar energy and phase change materials. The equipment consists of a solar energy accumulator using paraffin wax as storage material, and three rectangular base spouted beds connected in series. Solar energy was captured by the energy accumulator in its charging stage and then released as thermal energy to the circulating air, which subsequently entered the rectangular base spouted beds removing moisture from sawdust particles in a continuous operation. Temperature profiles of the paraffin wax and of the air were registered in different positions of the solar energy accumulator. A total of 89 kg of paraffin wax distributed in 450 beverage cans within the accumulator were used. With a confidence level of 95%, it was found that the significant effects in steady state operation were the sawdust feed flow, the solid initial moisture content and the drying air temperature. Using the optimal operating conditions of the dryer found, it was possible to remove 27.6% of the moisture from the solid. Additionally, it was projected that the operation may be feasible for at least 4 h with the amount of accumulated solar energy and with high thermal drying efficiencies.

Visualization of bubble formation at the wall of beer cans

Visualization experiments are performed to examine nucleation, growth, and detachment of bubbles at hydrophobic surfaces of a beer can. Solutions of our concern are carbonated water and beer. The solution under cooling is poured into a (hydrophilic) glass container; the container is then sealed. A piece of a beer can whose inner coating is hydrophobic is inserted inside the container. To trigger gradual growth of bubbles nucleated preferentially at the piece of the beer can, dissolved gas supersaturation is created by heating the solution (with the container being sealed). From the visualization experiments, we report on the evolution of bubble population and size (from the front view) and the shape of attached bubbles (from the side view) at surface, exploring the role of surface tension and proteins in detachment of the bubbles.

Utilization of beverage cans waste as innovation of Balinese bride accessories in new normal era

Cans are non-organic wastes that are difficult to destroy and can pollute the environment. The solution in this new normal era is by recycling cans waste into innovative for Balinese bridal accessories so that they have aesthetic value and increase selling value. The objective of the study was to determine the engineering of the waste of beverage cans as an innovative Balinese bridal accessory. The research method used the experiment, observation, documentation, descriptive analysis with sensory tests and preference tests. The results of the validity showed that all products received a very valid criteria, the highest value was obtained by the flower cap accessories 95.8%, the lowest value obtained by the Puspolembo accessories and the Nagasastra bracelets 83.3%. The sensory test results showed that the eight products are very feasible and the two products are feasible with an average of 87.5%. The results of the preference test are the eight products in the very like category and the two products in the like category with an average of 86.3%. The Balinese bridal accessories from the waste of beverage cans showed that it’s feasible and need to be developed as home economic products for craft commodities.