Black Powder Research Articles

Image quality improvement through turbid media by using graphene nanoplates

Abstract Imaging through turbid media leads to a great loss of information decreasing the image quality. This loss of quality is due to the light interaction with the medium, since part of the light will pass through it, but another part will be scattered generating a blurred image pattern. In this work we try to decrease this problem by adding an absorbent, eliminating part of the scattered radiation responsible for the turbidity. With this aim, we use graphene nanoplates as an absorbent and we also compare the experimental results with black carbon powder.

Pyrolyzed magnetic NiO/carbon-derived nanocomposite from a hierarchical nickel-based metal-organic framework with ultrahigh adsorption capacity

Herein, a simple one-pot solvothermal approach is used to create magnetic porous carbon nanocomposites which obtained from a nickel-based metal-organic framework (Ni-MOF) and examined for their ability to uptake methyl orange (MO) dye. Derived carbons with exceptional porosity and magnetic properties were created during the different pyrolysis temperatures of Ni-MOF (700, 800, and 900 °C) under a nitrogen atmosphere. The black powders were given the names CDM-700, CDM-800, and CDM-900 after they were obtained. A variety of analysis methods, including FESEM, EDS, XRD, FTIR, VSM, and N2 adsorption-desorption were used to characterize as-prepared powders. Furthermore, adsorbent dosage, contact time, pH variation, and initial dye concentration effects was investigated. The maximum adsorption capacities were 307.38, 5976.35, 4992.39, and 2636.54 mg/g for Ni-MOF, CDM-700, CDM-800, and CDM-900, respectively, which show the ultrahigh capacity of the resulted nanocomposites compared to newest materials. The results showed that not only the crystallinity turned but also the specific surface area was increased about four times after pyrolyzing. The results showed that the maximum adsorption capacity of MO dye for CDM-700 was obtained at adsorbent dosage of 0.083 g/L, contact time of 60 min, feed pH of 3, and temperature of 45 °C. The Langmuir model has the best match and suggests the adsorption process as a single layer. According to the results of reaction kinetic studies using well-known models, the pseudo-second-order model (R2 = 0.9989) displayed high agreement with the experimental data. The synthesized nanocomposite is introduced as a promising superadsorbent for eliminating dyes from contaminated water due to strong recycling performance up to the fifth cycle.

Impact of microwave and germination on physicochemical properties, functional properties, and solubility of black rice powder

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesBlack rice is limited due to factors such as low solubility, difficulty to disperse, and high viscosity. The aim of the study is to overcome these shortcomings and improve their practicability in various industrial applications. The effects of germination and microwave on the physicochemical properties, functional properties, and solubility of black rice powder were compared.FindingsThe effect of germination improved the GABA contents, increased the solubility and starch digestibility, which was consistent with the decrease in relative crystallinity and porous surface structure, and the increase in the gelatinization enthalpy. Microwave increased the solubility and starch digestibility of black rice powder. Total polyphenol content was increased by microwave compared to untreated and germinated black rice. The type of starch showed no significant effect in single and dual treatment. The combined treatment enhanced the GABA content, reduced the loss of polyphenols, anthocyanins and improved its solubility, physicochemical properties characteristics.ConclusionThe results might help understand the mechanism of germination and microwave treatments influencing the structural properties of starches and contribute to better‐developing products based on black rice flour.Significance and NoveltyThe association treatment increased GABA content, the solubility, and nutrition of black rice flour, but reduced the digestibility of black rice flour.

Black Mangrove Powder Extracts with Variation of Temperature and Length of Time using Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction (UAE)

Black mangrove fruit, which is often found in mangrove forest regions of Indonesia, is one source of natural antioxidants that has the potential to be utilized as raw material for functional foods. This investigation focused on black mangrove powder extracts' chemical and phytochemical contents using an ultrasonic-assisted extraction technique. 70% ethanol was used as a solvent for the extraction process. Temperature and extraction time were the two treatments used in this study. A1=30°C, A2=35°C, and A3=40°C for the extraction temperatures, and B1=15 minutes, B2=20 minutes, and B3=25 minutes for the extraction times. Total phenol, total flavonoid, tannin, vitamin C, and antioxidant activity were among the test’s parameters. This research used a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with two components and three replications. Furthermore. To identify the ideal concentration of black mangrove powder extracts, the data were statistically evaluated using ANOVA at a significance level of 95%, and then processed using DX13.0® Software’s Response Surface Methodology (RSM) Optimal Custom Design tool. The ideal circumstances were attained at a temperature of 50°C for 10 minutes, with a desirability value of 0.80. It is anticipated that the best option will result in a yield of 38.34%. nutritional breakdown: crude fibers at 1.88%, ash at 0.33%, fat at 1.332%, protein at 4.40%, and water at 9.17%. and phytochemical components, including tannins (0.11%), total phenols (1778.07 g GAE/g), flavonoids (92.11 g GAE/g), vitamin C (5.84 mg), and antioxidant activity (43.33%). This research suggests that the conversion of black mangroves into nutrient-rich products has an increase in added value and has potential nutritional and phytochemical contents.

Influence of the Ignition Method on the Characteristics of Propellant Burning in the Context of the Geometric Burning Model

Mathematical models for the simulation of the operation of various projectile-throwing systems are continuously modified, simultaneously with the development of propellants. For these models, properly determined values of energetic ballistic characteristics of propellants are very important. This paper presents an original test and the results of closed vessel comparative investigations. The study analyses specific combustion characteristics of single-base propellants using conventional black powder ignition, plasma ignition, and gas ignition. The results of the study indicate the need to take into account—in the calculation of the burning rate—not only the dynamics of gas pressure changes but also the real (experimental) form function, which differs from the theoretical one resulting from the assumed geometric burning model. The obtained results allow for a critical analysis of the existing methods used for the determination of values of ballistic characteristics of propellants. Further, it will allow for creating pyrostatic test conditions that would reflect the condition of instantaneous ignition of propellant grains over their entire surface in the most realistic way.

First Report of Leaf Blight of Jasminum sambac Caused by Bipolaris australiensis in Pakistan

During disease surveys of plants in 2021, leaf blight was observed on Jasminum sambac plants in City Housing Society, Gujranwala, Punjab, Pakistan. Infection spots occurred on the margins of leaves in the form of large patches on both abaxial and adaxial surfaces of J. sambac. These spots began as small necrotic spots and developed into irregular pale brown patches with black powder covering the surfaces. The causative organism was consistently isolated from infected leaves on potato dextrose agar. Based on morphological analysis, the species isolated from Jasminum sambac during this research belongs to the genus Bipolaris and has been identified as Bipolaris australiensis. This fungal species has not previously been reported on this host plant worldwide, and this fungal taxon has been characterized for the first time in detail from Pakistan. To the best of our knowledge, J. sambac is a new host record for this fungal species in Pakistan and worldwide. A key to the identification of Pakistani species of the genus Bipolaris is presented in this paper

Effect Dietary Garlic Processed on Performance and Intestinal of Broilers

This study aimed to determine the effect of dietary processed garlic in feed on the performance, intestinal weight, intestinal length, and morphology of the intestinal villi of broilers. A total of 200 Day-Old-Chick (DOC) Cobb strains (unsexed) with an average body weight of 42 ± 3 g were randomly allocated to four experimental groups with five replications, each containing ten chicks per replication. The treatments were T0 (basal diet as control), T1 (basal diet + 3% garlic paste), T2 (basal diet + 3% garlic powder), and T3 (basal feed + 3% black garlic powder). The variables measured were feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, final body weight, intestinal weight, intestinal length, and intestinal villi morphology. The data were analyzed for variance based on a Completely Randomized Design. If there was a difference, Duncan's multiple range test was applied. The results showed that the treatment had a significant effect (p<0.05) on intestinal weight, but there was no significant effect on intestinal length and performance. The addition of processed garlic increased the height and width of the villi of the intestines of broilers. The present study's findings suggest that the dietary intake of processed garlic significantly improved the intestinal weight and morphology of broiler villi. However, it did not significantly improve performance.

Low-Cost Fabrication of Efficient Perovskite Photovoltaics Using Low-Purity Lead Iodide via Powder Engineering

Low cost is the eternal theme for any commercial production. Numerous efforts have been explored to realize low-cost, high-efficiency perovskite solar cells (PSCs), such as replacing the traditional spin-coating method with an economical printing strategy, simplifying the device structure, reducing the number of functional layers, etc. However, there are few reports on the use of low-cost precursors. Herein, we enable the low-cost fabrication of efficient PSCs based on a very cheaper low-purity PbI2 via powder engineering. The low-purity PbI2 is blended with formamidinium iodide followed by dissolving in a 2-methoxyethanol solvent, and then, the high-quality FAPbI3 powders are formed via an inverse temperature crystallization process and solvent washing after several simple processes to reduce the impurities. As a result, the devices fabricated using the as-synthesized black powders based on the low-purity PbI2 exhibit a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 23.9% and retained ∼95% of the initial PCE after ∼400 h of storage in the conditions of 25 ± 5 °C and 25 ± 5 RH% without encapsulation. In addition, the upscaling fabrication of a 5 cm × 5 cm solar minimodule also demonstrates an impressive efficiency of 19.5%. Our findings demonstrate an economic strategy for the commercialization of PSCs from the perspective of low-cost production.

Self-operating seawater-driven electricity nanogenerator for continuous energy generation and storage

The ubiquitous and continuous natural processes of water absorption and evaporation have stimulated interest in generating electricity through the creation of a flow of electrical charge, which can then be collected and stored. However, the resultant low output power density as well as the complicated fabrication and operation processes have hindered the practical applications of this technology. Herein, we demonstrate a highly efficient self-operating hydroelectric nanogenerator (HENG) that produces electricity through the absorption and evaporation of seawater. The single HENG consists of a hydrophilic wool cloth stripe functionalized with ketjen black powders and equipped with two electrodes affixed at its ends. The continuous absorption and evaporation of seawater results in the generation of electricity that can be stored in a capacitor. A series of 16 HENGs, each consisting of 10 stacked wool cloth stripes, can generate sufficient power to charge a supercapacitor to 1.6 V within 5 h 30 min under ambient conditions, outperforming most comparable devices reported. The superior performance observed for the HENG is attributable to the hydrophilicity and porosity of wool cloth which can continuously absorb seawater at a desired rate as well as the 2D structure of ketjen black and its high conductivity. This work paves the way to facilitate the development of HENGs for practical applications.

Selective lithium recovery from black powder of spent lithium-ion batteries via sulfation reaction: phase conversion and impurities influence

Selective lithium recovery from black powder of spent lithium-ion batteries via sulfation reaction: phase conversion and impurities influence

Rapid and On-Scene Chemical Identification of Intact Explosives with Portable Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Multivariate Data Analysis.

There is an ongoing forensic and security need for rapid, on-scene, easy-to-use, non-invasive chemical identification of intact energetic materials at pre-explosion crime scenes. Recent technological advances in instrument miniaturization, wireless transfer and cloud storage of digital data, and multivariate data analysis have created new and very promising options for the use of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy in forensic science. This study shows that in addition to drugs of abuse, portable NIR spectroscopy with multivariate data analysis also offers excellent opportunities to identify intact energetic materials and mixtures. NIR is able to characterize a broad range of chemicals of interest in forensic explosive investigations, covering both organic and inorganic compounds. NIR characterization of actual forensic casework samples convincingly shows that this technique can handle the chemical diversity encountered in forensic explosive investigations. The detailed chemical information contained in the 1350-2550 nm NIR reflectance spectrum allows for correct compound identification within a given class of energetic materials, including nitro-aromatics, nitro-amines, nitrate esters, and peroxides. In addition, the detailed characterization of mixtures of energetic materials, such as plastic formulations containing PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate) and RDX (trinitro triazinane), is feasible. The results presented illustrate that the NIR spectra of energetic compounds and mixtures are sufficiently selective to prevent false-positive results for a broad range of food-related products, household chemicals, raw materials used for the production of home-made explosives, drugs of abuse, and products that are sometimes used to create hoax improvised explosive devices. However, for frequently encountered pyrotechnic mixtures, such as black powder, flash powder, and smokeless powder, and some basic inorganic raw materials, the application of NIR spectroscopy remains challenging. Another challenge is presented by casework samples of contaminated, aged, and degraded energetic materials or poor-quality HMEs (home-made explosives), for which the spectral signature deviates significantly from the reference spectra, potentially leading to false-negative outcomes.

Pilot Study on the Visualization of Latent Fingerprints and Naked Eye Detection of Hg2+ and Zn2+ Ions in Aqueous Media Using Ninhydrin-Based Thiosemicarbazone.

Here, we described a cheap and effective chemosensor (NHPyTSC) that can distinguish Hg2+ and Zn2+ ions from other metal ions and evaluated this phenomenon using several spectroscopy techniques. With the addition of mercury and zinc ions, the proposed chemosensor in particular showed noticeable changes in color and absorption spectra. Additionally, by including EDTA in the NHPyTSC-Hg2+ and NHPyTSC-Zn2+ solutions, colorimetry readings can be reversed. We developed a molecular-scale sequential information processing circuit and presented the "writing-reading-erasing-reading" and "multiwrite" behaviors in the form of binary logic based on the great reversibility of this process. Moreover, by sequentially adding Hg2+, Zn2+, and EDTA, NHPyTSC imitates a molecular keypad lock and molecular logic gates. Density functional theory (DFT) investigations provided more evidence of the Hg2+ and Zn2+ ions' ability to attach to NHPyTSC. The most interesting part of this work is that a study on the latent fingerprint detection of the powder compound revealed that NHPyTSC exhibits good adherence and finger ridge features without background stains. When compared to black and white fingerprint powders, it is discovered that the NHPyTSC powder produces results that are remarkably clear on the majority of surfaces. This demonstrated their potential for real-world use, particularly in the area of criminal investigations.

Exploring the feasibility of Spanish mackerel flavour masking process screening using preference mapping and 2D-LF-NMR

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of four different flavour-masking soak treatments on Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus niphonius) using sensory evaluation and instrument based analyses. The four treatments included rosemary extract (1700 mg/L), a commercial deodorizing solution named Wenda (0.758 mg/L), black tea powder (15000 mg/L), and perilla extract (217 mg/L). The study utilised e-nose, water content, water holding capacity, 2D-LF-NMR, and Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) to assess the effects of these treatments. Preference mapping and PLSR analysis were used to investigate relationships between different indicators. All four treatments significantly reduced the fishiness of fish, and cooked fish hardness and firmness both correlated positively with overall preference. The PLSR results revealed that cooked fish firmness and hardness correlated strongly with its water holding capacity and water signal to centre-mass ratio, respectively. This study provides valuable insights to guide development of flavour-masking treatments for Spanish mackerel and other fish products.

Soft Electromagnetic Motor and Soft Magnetic Sensors for Synchronous Rotary Motion.

To create fully-soft robots, fully-soft actuators are needed. Currently, soft rotary actuator topologies described in the literature exhibit low rotational speeds, which limit their applicability. In this work, we describe a novel, fully-soft synchronous rotary electromagnetic actuator and soft magnetic contact switch sensor concept. In this study, the actuator is constructed using gallium indium liquid metal conductors, compliant permanent magnetic composites, carbon black powders, and flexible polymers. The actuator also operates using low voltages (<20 V, ≤10 A), has a bandwidth of 10 Hz, a stall torque of 2.5-3 mN·m, and no-load speed of up to 4000 rpm. These values show that the actuator rotates at over two orders-of-magnitude higher speed with at least one order-of-magnitude higher output power than previously developed soft rotary actuators. This unique soft rotary motor is operated in a manner similar to traditional hard motors, but is also able to stretch and deform to enable new soft robot functions. To demonstrate fully-soft actuator application concepts, the motor is incorporated into a fully-soft air blower, fully-soft underwater propulsion system, fully-soft water pump, and squeeze-based sensor for a fully-soft fan. Hybrid hard and soft applications were also tested, including a geared robotic car, pneumatic actuator, and hydraulic pump. Overall, this work demonstrates how the fully-soft rotary electromagnetic actuator can bridge the gap between the capabilities of traditional hard motors and novel soft actuator concepts.

Development and Optimization of Black Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Sourdough Fermented by Levilactobacillus brevis LUC 247 for Physicochemical Characteristics and Antioxidant Capacity

This study used Levilactobacillus brevis LUC 247 to ferment black rice sourdough, made into Type III black rice sourdough powder to produce black rice sourdough bread. The composition analysis, antioxidant capacity, and storage stability of the black rice sourdough bread with different proportions of black rice powder (0-60%) and fermented for different lengths of time (0-48 h) were discussed. The results showed that the black rice sourdough had the maximum lactic acid bacteria count (9 Log CFU/g) during 12 to 36 h of fermentation. The titratable acid, lactic acid, and acetic acid yields increased with the fermentation time and the proportion of black rice powder. The total anthocyanin content and antioxidant capacity increased with the fermentation time. The hardness and chewiness of the black rice sourdough bread were positively correlated with the black rice sourdough powder content and increased with storage time. In addition, the growth of fungi was significantly slowed as the additional level of black rice sourdough powder increased.

Improvement of the Nutritional Quality of Black Bean (&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Phaseolus Vulgaris&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; I.) Powder During Fermentation: Use of Lactic Starters

The objective of this study was to investigate lactic acid starters able to improve the nutritional quality of black bean powder (BBP) during fermentation. For this purpose, raw and cooked BBP was fermented with <i>Lactobacillus acidophilus</i> and BLHN7 isolate. After 120 hours of fermentation, the pH of medium was measured by pH meter, tannins and phytates by spectrophotometry, total proteins by the Kdjedhal method. The minerals by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and the total sugars by the phenol method. From these analyses, it was found that the pH decrease was not significantly different in BBP fermented with <i>Lactobacillus acidophilus</i> and BLHN7 isolate. This decrease in pH varied between 4.0 and 4.3. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of the results shows the variability of nutritional parameters depending on the microorganisms used and the type of treatment applied to the BBP. However, a better increase in protein, iron and microbial growth is observed in the raw BBP fermented with <i>Lactobacillus acidophilus</i>. We observed an increase of 267, 240 and 118% respectively. It is also in the raw BBP that we observe a reduction of tannins and a small reduction of sugar content by 76 and 20% respectively. On the other hand, it is in the cooked BBP fermented with <i>Lactobacillus acidophilus</i> that phytates were reduced by 3.4% and magnesium increased by 180%. Calcium increased by 165% in cooked BBP fermented with BLHN7 isolate. Considering the effect of <i>Lactobacillus acidophilus</i> on the majority of the nutritional parameters studied, it would be interesting to use it to improve the nutritional quality of BBP as a dietary supplement for malnourished children.

Effect of Black Tea Powder on Antioxidant Activity and Gel Characteristics of Silver Carp Fish Balls.

The effect of black tea powder on the antioxidant activity and gel characteristics of fish balls from silver carp were investigated after freezing storage for 7 days. The results show that black tea powder with different concentrations of 0.1%, 0.2% and 0.3% (w/w) could significantly increase the antioxidant activity of fish balls (p < 0.05). In particular, at the concentration of 0.3%, the antioxidant activity was the strongest among these samples, where the reducing power, DPPH, ABTS and OH free radical scavenging rate were up to 0.33, 57.93%, 89.24% and 50.64%, respectively. In addition, black tea powder at the level of 0.3% significantly increased the gel strength, hardness and chewiness while greatly reducing the whiteness of the fish balls (p < 0.05). ESEM observation found that the addition of black tea powder could promote the crosslinking of proteins and reduced the pore size of the gel network structure of the fish balls. The results suggest that black tea powder could be used as a natural antioxidant and gel texture enhancer in fish balls, which we found to be much related to the phenolic compounds of black tea powder.

Laser sintering of polyether sulfone/carbon black composite powders using near-infrared laser

Low-cost miniaturized laser sintering equipment remains lacking at present; therefore, the development of laser sintering technology and its widespread applications are significantly hindered. Traditional laser sintering equipment is composed of a carbon dioxide laser, water cooling system, powder-box-heating device, and thermal insulation device. Such requirements are the main factors limiting the miniaturization and economic efficiency of laser sintering equipment. Herein, a laser-sintered material was fabricated by sintering using a near-infrared laser light source with a wavelength of 1064 nm without heating, and its microstructure and properties were systematically studied. Polyether sulfone (PES) and carbon black (CB) powders were selected as the raw materials for preparing PES/CB composites by mechanical mixing. For synthesizing the PES/CB composite powders, the CB powder content was varied within the range of 0.25%–1.5%. The PES/CB powders with different component ratios were subjected to laser sintering treatment, and the corresponding microstructural evolutions of the sintered parts were analyzed. The effects of different component ratios on the mechanical properties and dimensional accuracy of the sintered part were investigated, and the optimal content of CB powders of the PES/CB composite material was determined. Additionally, the effects of laser power (10–18 W), scanning speed (1200–1600 mm/s), and scanning spacing (0.04–0.08 mm) on the forming quality of the sintered parts of the PES/CB composite powders were evaluated. The processing parameters of the laser sintering of PES/CB composite powders were explored using orthogonal experimental tests and optimized using the comprehensive weighted method.

Physicochemical Characteristics of Anthocyanin Extract Powder from Black Rice Based on Maltodextrin and Skimmed Milk Powder Ratio as Encapsulant

Anthocyanins are bioactive components in black rice. Black rice anthocyanins are potent antioxidants, so they have the potential to be developed into functional food products. As a bioactive component, anthocyanins in extracts have low stability to environmental conditions such as light, temperature, and pH. Encapsulation process using the spray drying technique is known to protect and increase the stability of anthocyanin bioactive compounds. Maltodextrin (MDE) is widely used as a coating material in the encapsulation of anthocyanins using the spray drying technique with many advantages. However, skim milk powder (SMP) was found to encapsulate black rice anthocyanins efficiently. This study's general objective was to determine the effect of the ratio of MDE and SMP as an encapsulant on black rice extract powder's physical and chemical characteristics. The research method is an experimental type using a single factor Completely Randomized Design (CRD), which consisted of 6 treatments, namely the MDE:SMP ratio (100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, and 50:50). The results showed that there was a very significant effect of the ratio of MDE and SMP on the physical and chemical characteristics of coated anthocyanin powder. MDE and SMP ratios of 50:50 resulted in coated anthocyanin powder's best physical and chemical characteristics. Keywords: Black rice extract, Coating material, Encapsulation, Physicochemical characteristics.

Simultaneous reactions of sulfonation and condensation for high-yield conversion of polystyrene into carbonaceous material

Polystyrene (PS) was chemically treated with sulfuric acid to prepare stabilized precursors, which were converted into carbonaceous materials with high yield via subsequent carbonization. In addition to sulfuric acid, paraformaldehyde (PFA) was used to increase the crosslink density within the sulfonated PS chain networks by forming methylene bridges between phenyl rings via condensation. This transformed PS into a black glassy powder with increased crosslinking points. The carbon yield of the stabilized PS obtained after carbonization showed was considerably higher (45.3 wt%) than those of pristine PS (0 wt%) and sulfonated PS without PFA (22.4 wt%). This was attributed to its superior degree of crosslinks and the additional contribution of sulfur bridges to its thermal stability during carbonization. Further thermal treatment up to 2800 °C resulted in the formation of an intermediate structure between hard and soft carbons, which was directly revealed by microscopic images. These simultaneous reactions of sulfonation and condensation can be universally applied to various PS wastes, regardless of their shape and morphology. This suggests that the solid-to-solid transformation from PS to carbonaceous substances can be an effective and affordable method of upcycling general PS wastes.