CB Content Research Articles

Enhancement of Corn Flour with Carob Bean for Innovative Gluten-Free Extruded Products

The aim of this work is to study new, extruded products based on corn flour enriched with carob bean and the evaluation of its functional quality to develop novel gluten-free food products. Five samples based on corn flour with added carob bean flour (5 to 12.5%) were formulated. Extrusion was performed using a single-screw laboratory extruder at pilot plant scale. Extrusion parameters such as color and carbohydrate content (fiber, sucrose, and starch) were evaluated. Carob bean addition led to an increase in starch, soluble fiber, and insoluble fiber. Texture parameters related to hardness (crunchiness) were significantly reduced with the addition of CB (p < 0.05), detectable from a 5% addition of CB and not significant with more CB content. Samples became browner with the addition of CB; however, when the concentrations of CB are high (>5%) no major differences in color were observed. The extrusion process reduced the content of soluble and insoluble fiber, and sucrose in all formulated samples. Extruded samples with 5–7.5% CB seem to be the best formulation in terms of fiber content, color, and texture parameters. These innovative gluten-free foods could be considered as a source of fiber, and a healthier alternative to some commercially available snacks.

КОМПЛЕКС КОРМОВЫХ ДОБАВОК В РАЦИОНАХ ЦЫПЛЯТ-БРОЙЛЕРОВ

To this date to achieve high indicators in poultry farming, the use of feed additives is relevant. The purpose of the study is to study the influence of firming of the probiotic and sorbents on the organoleptic indicators of poultry meat. Studies were conducted in the conditions of the Mikhailovskaya poultry farms of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, subject to all requirements for the methodology of scientific and production research on poultry feeding. Cross-Broilers Cross «Ross-308» were divided into four groups. The first group received full -time farming feed. The second group received compound feed with the addition of a “Sporotermine” probiotic. The third group - compound feeds with 0.1 % of the “Sporotermine” and bentonite 3.6 % of the mass of feed and the fourth - compound feed with the addition of a “Sporotermine” probiotic and active coal feed additive (ACFA). The tasting of the broth and meat was carried out on a 5-ballast scale. The overall assessment of the quality of the chest muscles of experimental groups varied with the control group-by 0.10-0.36 points. The quality of the broth, according to organoleptic, in the 3rd experimental group exceeded analogues from the control group - by 0.22 points. According to the indicators of the elementary chemical muscles the meat of chickens of 3 experimental groups which received a comprehensively both probiotic and sorbent, there was an increase in the content of CB in the chest muscles - by 0.72 %, protein - by 1.04 % reliably and against this background there is a decrease in the amount of fat - by 0.21 %.

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) glycol/carbon black composites for 4D printing

This research introduces PETG-CB (poly(ethylene terephthalate) glycol modified with carbon black) composites, a new class of shape memory polymers 4D printed using the Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) method. Nanocomposites with varying concentrations of CB (0.5 %, 1 %, and 3 % by weight) are developed to enhance the functional performance of PETG in 4D printing applications. Comprehensive characterization at the micro- and macro-scale, including dynamic thermal mechanical analysis (DMTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and mechanical testing, is employed to assess the viscoelastic behavior, microstructural integrity, and mechanical strength under thermal stimulation. Experimental results reveal that CB addition significantly alters the glass transition temperature and improves mechanical properties, with the 1 % CB composite demonstrating optimal tensile strength and enhanced shape memory effects. SEM analysis confirms a uniform distribution of CB particles, contributing to the improved mechanical properties and printability of the nanocomposites. The shape memory tests show excellent recovery rates above 97 %, with faster recovery observed in composites with higher CB content. These findings highlight the potential of PETG-CB composites in applications requiring rapid response and high mechanical performance, making them promising materials for future advancements in the 4D printing technology.

Effect of nano-carbon black content and dispersibility on the properties of cement paste

In this study, we analyzed the microstructure, pore structure, and changes in electromagnetic parameters of cement paste with nano-carbon black (CB) added. The following conclusions were drawn: The addition of CB significantly influenced the pore structure of the cement paste, increasing the content of pores less than 100 nm and improving the overall pore structure. The use of the dispersant further enhanced the dispersion of CB and increased its filling effect. Additionally, adding CB had a significant impact on the compressive strength of the cement paste; the presence of certain CB aggregates reduced the compressive strength. However, when the CB content was 0.5wt%, the use of the dispersant decreased the size of CB aggregates and effectively increased the compressive strength. SEM images displayed the dispersion state of CB aggregates within the cement paste, demonstrating that the size and quantity of aggregates could be reduced through the use of the dispersant. The change in the CB dispersion state also slightly affected the electromagnetic parameters and wave absorption properties of the cement paste. The research results presented in this paper offer valuable insights for the design and application of CB cement paste.

Optimization of mechanical properties for intelligent building materials combining with various steel fiber types and nano-Carbon black

The mechanical properties of building materials has emerged as a novel application criterion. However, the investigation of the influence of different steel fibers (SFs) types and nano-carbon black (CB) on the mechanical properties of intelligent building materials remains limited. In this paper, an orthogonal test is conducted to analyze the mechanical performance of building materials with various types of SF and different factors of SFs and CB content. The single-phase results reveal that the optimal content of SFs for intelligent building materials ranges from 0.20%∼0.80% when combined with air content and mechanical performance indicators, while the CB content range ranges from 0.25 wt%∼0.75 wt%. Additionally, the study employs the orthogonal experimental method to determine the mix proportion for intelligent building materials. The experiment selected orthogonal design conditions with four levels and three factors (including SF types and contents and CB content) and conducts range analysis and variance analysis on the experimental results of each group. The results demonstrate that the compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of building materials are optimized when the contents of shear-type SFs and CB are 0.40% and 0.75 wt%, respectively.

Analysis of Carbon Black Proportion on Durability and Wear Behavior of EPDM Rubber

This study aims at understanding the effect of carbon black on mechanical properties of EPDM rubber. For this we select combination of carbon blacks N330 and N550 with standard curing procedure to minimize the wear rate and maximize durability. The EPDM rubbers were characterized using hardness, tensile, wear and durability tests. The coefficient of friction (COF), volume loss and wear rate of the EPDM rubbers were determined. It was found that with increasing CB content all above characteristics were reduced. Result shows that by using optimum combination of carbon black we can enhance wear performance and durability of EPDM rubber.

Akkermansia muciniphila Promotes Bone Development and Improves Eggshell Quality during the Sexual Maturity Period of Laying Hens by Increasing Osteogenesis

Adequate bone development is imperative for maintaining the health and productivity of laying hens. Probiotics play a pivotal role in promoting bone formation and preventing osteoporosis. This study aimed to explore the effect of Akkermansia muciniphila (Akk) on the bone development and eggshell quality of laying hens during the rearing period. A total of 300 1-day-old Jingfen NO. 6 commercial pullets were categorized into two groups, one of which was fed a conventional diet for 20 weeks (Control group), the other group was fed a conventional diet with lyophilized Akk powder for 20 weeks (Akk group). During the first two weeks, pullets in the Akk group received live Akk inoculation, while birds in the Control group received normal saline administration. Micro-computed tomography analysis was employed to evaluate three bone microarchitectures: cortical bone (Cb), trabecular bone (Tb), and medullary bone (Mb). Our findings revealed that supplementation with Akk powder increased the thickness and bone mineral content of Cb and Tb, while simultaneously reducing the volume and bone surface area of Mb. The increased activity of alkaline phosphatase, a marker of osteogenesis, and the decreased activity of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, a marker of osteoclastic activity, were observed in the Akk group. Dietary supplementation of Akk powder improved the immune microenvironment in the bone marrow by increasing osteogenic-related CD8+ T cells and decreasing osteoclastogenesis-related CD4+ T cells. Additionally, Akk powder supplementation significantly enriched the Lactobacillaceae family in cecum. The enhancement of bone development by Akk contributed to increased eggshell strength and thickness. These findings demonstrate the osteomodulatory effects of Akk in laying hens and the connections between bone physiology and eggshell quality, highlighting the importance of gut–bone communications in laying hens.

Waste printer ink as modifier for natural rubber/carbon black composites: No haste, use waste

From a sustainability perspective, achieving a greener future with a minimal carbon footprint requires maximizing waste materials' reuse. Typically, processing, price, properties, and performance are the four pillars of satisfying customer demands. Armed with this vision, the present work seeks to utilize waste printer ink (WPI) as a source of carbon in combination with low- and high-surface carbon black (LCB and HCB, respectively) additives to enhance the properties and performance of natural rubber (NR). Using WPI-modified CB together with NR underlines the importance of this work from a sustainability angle. By altering the type and amount of CB and WPI content, a broad properties window was unraveled, such that a very high elongation at break of ∼970% and elasticity of 53% were achieved under optimized conditions and formulation, when compared with 385% and 27.5% values of the reference blank NR sample, respectively. Thermal stability was also changed quite broadly, depending on the formulation. The analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) revealed that propanol and its derivatives were the most abundant volatiles detected, accounting for more than 85% of the total emission. Analyzing environmental contamination and properties investigations opened avenues to propose practical ideas and strategies in order to standardize the usage of WPI and CB additives in NR compounding.

Enhancing the thermoelectric properties of TiO2-based ceramics through addition of carbon black and graphene oxide

Donor-doped TiO2 ceramics are attractive thermoelectrics. Herein, two types of Nb-doped TiO2/carbon black (CB) and Nb-doped TiO2/graphene oxide (GO) composites were prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS) at 1473 K. Both composites exhibit the same rutile structure. The addition of CB and GO helps to enhance thermoelectric performance through different mechanisms. GO flakes and CB clusters are distributed at grain boundaries, but grain-boundary segregation occurs in high CB content samples. Assisted by the high stress and high temperature during sintering, the GO flakes can induce significant lattice distortion near grain boundaries and reduce the concentration of twin boundaries, whilst CB has minimal impact on the grain boundary characteristics. However, all composites contain high densities of twin boundaries, stacking faults and dislocations; the crystallographic details have been resolved at the atomic scale. GO flakes can significantly reduce thermal conductivity but have minimal effect on carrier transport behavior, leading to a ∼17 % improvement in ZT values. CB is believed to promote the carrier concentration, which strongly boosts the power factor to ∼700 μW m−1 K−2 but marginally increases thermal conductivity, resulting in 25 % improvement in ZT values to 0.19 at 873 K. This investigation provides new understandings of microstructural modification of TiO2/carbon nanostructure systems, which could guide the future development of hybrid systems for thermoelectric applications.

Laser processing of carbon black reinforced ethylene‐butyl acrylate copolymer

AbstractInterest in the phenomenon of laser ablation (LA) has gained significant attention in recent years due to its potential for machining, high‐precision drilling, and cutting materials, such as metals, semiconductors, and dielectrics. Here, LA of ethylene‐butyl acrylate (EBA) filled with different volume fractions (4%, 8%, and 20%) of CB particles is studied. Upon irradiation with the second harmonics (532 nm) of the nanosecond pulsed Nd:YAG laser, a structuration is evidenced at the sample surface in a restricted range of fluence and at high pulse number (PN) (500 pulses, 1 Hz). The laser‐ablated surface is analyzed by microtopography, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Collectively, our data show a lowering in ablation threshold and depth for CB volume fractions larger than the conduction threshold (8%), indicating that visible radiation primarily induces photothermal effects. After redeposition of the ablation products at the surface, XPS indicates that high CB content in the EBA matrix induces high oxidation level of the composite surface. Furthermore, our results reveal that LA produces a significant proportion of amorphous carbon. Several parameters which affect heat accumulation and CB particle shielding are discussed. Such parameters include laser fluence and repetition rate, and CB content.

Ageing behaviour and molecular/network structure evolution of EPDM/carbon black composites under compression and in thermal-oxidative environments

EPDM/carbon black (CB) composites were first prepared using sulfur as vulcanizing system, and the mechanical properties of EPDM/CB composites gradually increased with increasing CB content. Compressive stress-thermo oxidative ageing was performed in terms of three compressive stress levels and temperature conditions. During ageing process, two typical reactions of chains scission and crosslinking were deduced. On the one hand, degradation reaction of EPDM molecules occurred and unstable free radicals were produced under thermo/stress effect, which were oxidized to generate oxygenated compounds, leading to the increase of dangling chains ratio and the breakage of CB network with two-phase separation. On the other hand, the active free radicals were further consumed to initiate secondary crosslinking reaction, resulting in increase of crosslinking density and restriction of chains mobility. During the whole ageing process, the crosslinking reaction was dominant over chain scission reaction, resulting in the increase of crosslinking density and poor uniformity of network structure. Consequently, the surface/fractured surface morphologies of aged EPDM showed coarse features with obvious CB aggregates and the rupture of continuous CB network due to interfacial debonding, eventually leading to the remarkable deterioration of mechanical properties and decline of sealing resilience.

Efficacy of Naphthyl Acetic Acid Foliar Spray in Moderating Drought Effects on the Morphological and Physiological Traits of Maize Plants (Zea mays L.).

The threat of varying global climates has greatly driven the attention of scientists, as climate change increases the odds of worsening drought in many parts of Pakistan and the world in the decades ahead. Keeping in view the forthcoming climate change, the present study aimed to evaluate the influence of varying levels of induced drought stress on the physiological mechanism of drought resistance in selected maize cultivars. The sandy loam rhizospheric soil with moisture content 0.43-0.5 g g-1, organic matter (OM) 0.43-0.55 g/kg, N 0.022-0.027 g/kg, P 0.028-0.058 g/kg, and K 0.017-0.042 g/kg was used in the present experiment. The findings showed that a significant drop in the leaf water status, chlorophyll content, and carotenoid content was linked to an increase in sugar, proline, and antioxidant enzyme accumulation at p < 0.05 under induced drought stress, along with an increase in protein content as a dominant response for both cultivars. SVI-I & II, RSR, LAI, LAR, TB, CA, CB, CC, peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) content under drought stress were studied for variance analysis in terms of interactions between drought and NAA treatment and were found significant at p < 0.05 after 15 days. It has been found that the exogenous application of NAA alleviated the inhibitory effect of only short-term water stress, but yield loss due to long-term osmotic stress will not be faced employing growth regulators. Climate-smart agriculture is the only approach to reduce the detrimental impact of global fluctuations, such as drought stress, on crop adaptability before they have a significant influence on world crop production.

Influence of plasticizer on the dielectric properties of polypropylene/carbon black composites

The addition of plasticizers can improve the dispersion of conductive fillers in polymer composites. In this work, the effect of polyethylene glycol dimethyl ether (PEGDME) plasticizer on the dielectric properties of poly(propylene)/carbon black (PP/CB) composites was investigated. PP/CB composites with varying content of CB from 0 to 15 wt% were melt-mixed. PEGDME plasticizer (0 to 5 wt%) was introduced into the PP/CB composites to reduce CB particle agglomeration and facilitate CB dispersion in the polymer matrix. The electrical conductivity and dielectric constant of PP/CB composites with and without plasticizer were studied. CB loading improved the electrical conductivity and dielectric constant of the composites; however, the addition of PEGDME reduced their values. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed that the PEGDME dispersed the CB particles and hindered the continuous CB conductive network formation. Additionally, the effect of temperature on dc conductance of PP/CB composites was also investigated. The dc conductance increases when the temperature increases from 303 °K to 343 °K and then decreases with further temperature increments.

Microwave Absorption Performance of Carbon Black/Polylactic Acid Composite for Fused Filament Fabrication

To prepare lightweight, wideband, strong absorption and low-cost microwave absorbing materials, carbon black/polylactic acid (CB/PLA) composite filaments were prepared using a high-energy mixer and twin-screw extruder. Coaxial ring test pieces were printed by fused filament fabrication (FFF) technology with polylactic acid as the matrix and carbon black as the absorbent. The crystal texture and micromorphology of the composites were observed by XRD and SEM. The electromagnetic parameters were measured at 2–18 GHz using a vector network analyzer. The influence of CB content on the absorbing performance of the composites was studied, and the loss mechanism was explained. The results show that when the CB content (refers to PLA) is 25%, the composite has suitable impedance matching, conduction loss, and polarization loss, resulting in the best microwave absorption performance. The minimum reflection loss reached −45.47 dB at 13.68 GHz, and the corresponding effective absorption bandwidth was 5.36 GHz (10.72–16.08 GHz) with a matching thickness of 2.1 mm. At the same time, the density of the composite was only 1.19 g/cm3. This work sheds light on the development of lightweight and high-efficiency microwave absorption materials (MAMs) in a simple and low-cost manner.

Construction of self-healing polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membrane by cucurbit[8]uril hydrogel via RTIPS method and host-guest chemistry

In this work, the self-healing polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membrane constructed by host-guest chemistry between cucurbit [8]uril (CB [8] is a family of macrocyclic compounds comprising 8 glycoluril units) and two guest molecules based on reverse thermally induced phase separation (RTIPS) method was developed, which had excellent self-healing performance, better mechanical properties, and high permeation flux and BSA rejection rate. The membrane autonomously restored it BSA rejection rate up to about 89% from rejection rate levels as low as 21% after damage. The observed self-healing performance were attributed to the swelling of pore-filled CB [8] hydrogel into the damage position, the molecular interdiffusion of the hydrogel chains, the strong hydrogen bond of the hydrogel chains and the host-guest interaction between CB [8] and two guest molecules (HEC-Np and PVA-MV). SEM morphologies illustrated that the prepared pore-filled membrane via the RTIPS method had homogeneous and porous skin surface and sponge-like cross-section, which imparted the prepared membranes with improved permeability and better mechanical properties. Properties of MR-CB [8] membranes, which varied with increased content of CB [8], were evaluated by permeability, water contact angle, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), mechanical properties, FRR, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The contact angle water showed that CB [8] hydrogel enhanced the surface hydrophilicity of the prepared membrane. TGA illustrated that the thermal stability improved with the increased content of CB [8]. The optimal pore-filled CB [8] hydrogel membrane (MR-CB [8]2) exhibited that the pure water flux reached 2100.5 L/m2 h, while the BSA rejection rate remained at 86.0%. The results of this work suggested pore-filled CB [8] hydrogel membrane was a more promising way to develop polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membranes with self-healing performance.

Multifunctional material design for strain sensing: Carbon black effect on mechanical and electrical properties of polyamides

This work investigates the coupled effect on mechanical and electrical properties of carbon black dispersed in polyamide 6 and 6.6 matrices. The CB content is varied between 15 % and 25 % wt. The elastic modulus increases of 12 % by increasing the CB concentration. Results reveal the capability of CB to functionalize thermoplastic polymers by activating conductive networks, as obtained over the percolation threshold of 13 % wt. The conductivity sensitivity to the mechanical strain is analyzed within direct (DC) and alternate current (AC) in the range of 0–100 kHz. Composite with lower CB concentrations exhibited a linear increase of the Gauge Factor (GF) with the frequency (from 2 to 4 at 20 %wt), while at 25 % wt of CB, the GF is 17 in DC regime and linearly decreases toward 6, at 100 kHz. A novel model for the estimation of the material Gauge Factor (GF) variation with the applied electric frequency is proposed.

Performance Evaluation of Green Cushion Gum Composite Formulated Based on Hybrid Filler and Curing System

Cushion gum is a type of rubber composite material used as adhesive in the manufacture of retread tires. Therefore, cushion gum should have good processability and mechanical characteristics, particularly tensile property, and adhesion strength. The effect of hybrid filler and curing system on the performance of green cushion gum composite was investigated to determine the appropriate green cushion gum formula designed at a laboratory scale. The content of CB N330/lignin in hybrid filler was arranged at 40/10 phr and 50/10 phr. Meanwhile, the curing system was performed semi-efficient (CBS/S 1.6/1.6 phr) and conventional (CBS/S 1.6/2.2 phr). Green cushion gum composite was also formulated using pine tar oil as a bio plasticizer. Referred to the curing characteristic and mechanical property test result, it showed that green cushion gum composite formula coded by RF1 which composed of CB N330/lignin as 50/10 phr and applied conventional curing system which ratio of CBS/S as 1.6/2.2 phr was regarded as the acceptable combination in designing green cushion gum composite formula. Higher CB N330 loading in hybrid filler composition and conventional curing system attributed to the relatively high crosslink density indicated by MH-ML value. Consequently, green cushion gum composite was obtained using the RF1 formula that has a better optimum curing time accompanied by good tensile property and adhesion strength. The composite was also comparable to conventional commercial cushion gum.

Excellent positive temperature coefficient behavior and electrical reproducibility of HDPE/(TiC-CB) composites

The high-density polyethylene/(titanium carbide--carbon black) (HDPE/(TiC-CB) composites were prepared by meltingblendprocess. Microstructure, room temperature resistivity, positive temperature coefficient (PTC) behavior and electrical reproducibility of composites were investigated. Results show that adding 3.0 vol% CB was in favor of reducing the room temperature resistivity of HDPE/(TiC-CB) composites, and leading to obtain high PTC intensity (the ratio of maximum resistivity to room temperature resistivity is defined as the PTC intensity). When the content of conductive fillers TiC was 32.0 vol% and CB was 3.0 vol%, the room temperature resistivity of composites was 0.8 Ω.m and PTC intensity reached 7.0, which is similar to the composites with 45.0 vol% TiC individually. The reduction of the inorganic material TiC facilitates the more flexibility of the composites, and the effect of PTC was still stability after several heating cycles. When the content of CB was more than 5.0 vol%, the room temperature resistivity was slightly reduced. However, the PTC intensity dropped below 3.7 abruptly. The micrographs of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated that the CB had greatly influence on the formation of the electric conduction channel in the matrix.

Probing intraparticle heterogeneity in Ni-rich layered cathodes with different carbon black contents using scanning probe microscopy

Much effort has been made to improve the electrochemical performance of Ni-rich layered cathodes toward high-energy density of Li-ion batteries. Nonetheless, capacity fading and chemo-mechanical behaviors during charge/discharge processes have not been fully understood yet. Herein, we report microstructural changes and capacity degradation of a polycrystalline LiNi0.88Co0.09Al0.03O2 (NCA) cathode during repeated cycles using electron microscopy and scanning probe microscopy. By varying the content of carbon black (CB; 1–4 wt%) in the NCA cathode, we evaluated cycle performance, capacity-fading, and structural degradation by scanning electron microscopy, scanning spreading resistance microscopy, and Kelvin probe force microscopy based on atomic force microscopy. CB content at 1 wt% in the NCA cathode resulted in a significant increase of electrode resistance and hence a severe capacity decay of full cells. Microscopic analyses for cycled cathode particles surrounded by different CB contents confirmed that the lack of CB around particles developed secondary particle microcracking, local heterogeneity of capacity fading, and formation of NiO-like phase, which could be responsible for degradation of the cathode during repeated cycles. Our results offer a new way to diagnose chemo-mechanical changes of Ni-rich cathodes with different electrochemical properties and highlight the significance of electrode engineering for ensuring effective charge-transport pathways.

The influence of carbon black content on temperature dependences of electrical conductivity of polymer composite

It was found that in the region of the percolation threshold, depending on the dominance of one or another conduction mechanism, the temperature dependence of the specific volume resistivity rho(T) of the polymer composite based on a matrix of ethylene vinyl acetate is significantly transformed. With an increase in the CB content, there is a decrease by several orders of magnitude in the maximum value of the relative resistivity rho(T)max/rho20 in its temperature dependence. Peroxide crosslinking of matrix macromolecules leads to a change in the nature of the temperature dependence of resistivity. Keywords: polymer composites, carbon black, electrical conductivity, temperature dependence.