Favorable Texture Research Articles

Influence of Nb Content on Precipitation, Grain Microstructure, Texture and Magnetic Properties of Grain-Oriented Silicon Steel.

The effects of Nb content on precipitation, microstructure, texture and magnetic properties of primary recrystallized grain-oriented silicon steel were investigated by various methods. The results show that the precipitates in primary recrystallized sheets are mainly MnS, Nb(C,N), composite precipitates of MnS and AlN, and composite precipitates of Nb(C,N) and AlN. Adding niobium could refine the primary recrystallized microstructure. The steel with 0.009 wt% Nb possesses the finest and the most dispersed precipitates, which contributes to the finest primary recrystallized microstructure due to the strong pinning force. Adding niobium is beneficial to obtain large volume fraction favorable texture for grain-oriented silicon steel, and the effect of Nb addition is not obvious when the content is higher than 0.009 wt%. After final annealing, the steel with 0.009 wt% Nb shows the best magnetic properties, B800 = 1.872 T, P1.7/50 = 1.25 W/kg.

Evaluation of cutting fluid application in surface grinding

The application of cutting fluid performs a significant role in improving the grinding efficiency. It also ensures the considerable improvement of workpiece quality by reducing the friction coefficient between the wheel and workpiece. The present study is aimed carefully to evaluate the various fluid application methods towards improving grinding performance. Five various techniques of fluid application such as traditional flood cooling, flood cooling at different angular locations of the nozzle, flood cooling in the presence of scraper board (SB) at distinct angular positions, application of fluid at different velocities and pressures through an indigenously made nozzle, and minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) have been typically employed. The techniques are evaluated by assessing the output variables such as grinding forces, surface roughness, surface texture, wheel loading and chip formation. The results confirm that the technique of using the scraper board proximate to the grinding zone can appreciably reduce the grinding force, wheel loading and produces favourable chips and surface texture than other methods of application of the fluid. In particular, positioning scraper board at 57.5° along with the Nozzle at 42.5° reduces the tangential force by 48%, 18%, 12%, compared to dry grinding, MQL and grinding by positioning nozzle at 42.5° respectively. However, the ground surface roughness in MQL succeeds in other methods of application. The findings also reveal that the increase in the fluid flow rate is more important than the velocity towards improving productivity and product quality.

Stress Corrosion Resistance of Laser Shock Peening/Microarc Oxidation Reconstruction Layer Fabricated on AZ80 Magnesium Alloy in Simulated Body Fluid

Three types of surface treatments were performed on AZ80 magnesium (Mg) alloy by laser shock peening (LSP), microarc oxidation (MAO), and laser shock peening followed by microarc oxidation (LSP/MAO). The stress corrosion resistance of treated and untreated specimens was carried out using slow strain rate tensile testing at a strain rate of 5 × 10−7/s in simulated body fluid. The influence of microstructure on the stress corrosion behavior was analyzed by x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and electrochemical measurement. The results showed that the LSP/MAO specimen has a higher stress corrosion resistance compared to the AZ80 Mg alloy substrate, the LSP-treated specimen, and the MAO-treated specimen. The factors improving the stress corrosion resistance of the LSP/MAO specimen are its nanocrystalline material, compressive residual stress, and favorable (0002) basal texture of its reconstructed layer.

Wide potential window TiO2@carbon cloth and high capacitance MnO2@carbon cloth for the construction of a 2.6 V high-performance aqueous asymmetric supercapacitor

Flexible supercapacitors with aqueous electrolytes are attractive safe power sources; yet low specific capacitance and narrow operating voltage hinder their practical applications. Herein, we deposit arrays of TiO2 nanowires (TiO2@CC) and MnO2 nanosheets (MnO2@CC) on carbon cloth via a solution-based technique at 80 °C and in an open atmosphere. The TiO2 nanowires possess intrinsic low hydrogen evolution reaction activities and in turn a wide working window (−1.6–0 V vs. Hg/HgO). The high specific surface area and favorable pore texture endow the TiO2@CC and the MnO2@CC with high areal specific capacitances of 1204.8 mF cm−2 and 1427.2 mF cm−2, respectively. A 2.6 V wide potential window aqueous asymmetric supercapacitor is then constructed, which exhibits an exceptional high specific capacitance of 1010.8 mF cm−2, high volumetric energy density of 4.75 mW h cm−3 and volumetric power density of 325 mW cm−3. The areal energy density and areal power density are 0.949 mW h cm−2 and 65 mW cm−2, respectively. The excellent cyclic stability of 100% capacity retention after 50,000 cycles at a high current density of 5 mA cm−2 is recorded and the supercapacitor also exhibits good flexibility.

Superelastic Behavior of Biomedical Metallic Alloys

In this this work, superelastic NiTi and Ni-free Ti-23Hf-3Mo-4Sn biomedical alloys were investigated by tensile tests in relationship with their microstructures. To follow the stress-induced martensitic transformations occurring in these alloys, in situ tensile tests under synchrotron beam were conducted. In NiTi, an intermediate trigonal R phase, which is first stress-induced before the B19′ martensitic phase, was identified. However, the Ti-23Hf-3Mo-4Sn alloy does not present a transitional phase, and a direct β into α″ reversible stress-induced martensitic transformation was observed. With NiTi, all the applied strain is recovered after unloading, and no residual plastic deformation occurs. However, the strain is not completely recovered with the Ti-23Hf-3Mo-4Sn alloy, and residual plastic strain was observed to prevent a complete recovery, thus explaining why the strain recovery is lower for Ti-23Hf-3Mo-4Sn compared with NiTi. We also showed that the maximum strain recovery depends on the texture in the Ti-23Hf-3Mo-4Sn alloy. The favorable texture leading to the highest strain recovery (4.6 pct) is the {111}〈110〉β texture, which can be obtained by a short-time solution treatment (0.3 ks) at 1073 K with this alloy.

Effect of thermo-mechanical treatment on microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of a superelastic Ti–Zr-based shape memory alloy

Achieving a combination of good superelastic performance and high strength in the bio-functional nickel-free Ti-based shape memory alloys is always required for the superelastic biomedical devices. For achieving this combination, in this paper, the thermo-mechanical treatment's influence on the microstructural development, mechanical performance and superelastic behavior of a Ti–45Zr–8Nb–2Sn (at.%) shape memory alloy was studied by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and tensile tests. 773 K and 823 K annealed specimens after cold rolling showed (β+α) two-phase microstructure. The grain size increased from 0.11 μm in 773 K annealed specimen to 125 μm in 1173 K solution-treated specimen. A maximum recovery strain of 5.4% was achieved at room temperature in the 1073 K annealed specimen due to some extent of the favorable recrystallization texture together with reasonable grain size but the tensile strength was 830 MPa. A combination of a large recovery strain of 5.0%, a high tensile strength of 1030 MPa and good ductility with fracture strain of 13.2% was achieved at room temperature in the 823 K annealed specimen due to the fine β grains of 0.74 μm, which can be beneficial for biomedical applications.

Recrystallization texture development in rare-earth (RE)-doped non-oriented silicon steel

High-grade non-oriented silicon steel with higher permeability and lower core loss has become the pursed target with the rapid development of electrical machines. The effects of rare-earth (RE) element on recrystallization texture in RE-doped Fe-3.1 wt.% Si-1.2 wt.% Al non-oriented silicon steel were investigated by macro- and micro-texture analyses. Nonlinear variation of recrystallization texture with RE element content was observed. In the competition among main recrystallization texture components, favorable {113} and λ fiber ( //ND) are strengthened and unfavorable γ fiber is evidently decreased by the addition of RE element, whereas the effect of RE element is reversed by excess RE element. The recrystallization texture development is determined by RE-affected nucleation and grain growth in terms of grain boundary migration related to segregation and inclusion. The properly inhibited grain boundary mobility can promote favorable recrystallization texture by the improved nucleation and efficient grain growth.

The effectiveness of ultrasound bath and probe treatments on the quality of baking and shelf life of cupcakes.

Uniform dispersion of emulsion particles of cake batter is very effective on the quality of the final product. A proper aeration process can produce a favorable spongy texture and desirable qualities in the product. Air containment and uniform distribution with smaller particles in the entire texture would be effective in achieving these goals. One of the newest physical methods to accomplish this matter is the use of ultrasound waves. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of sounding the cake batter using two types of baths and ultrasound probes with two intensities (70% and 100%) over 0, 4, 6, and 8 min on the quality of cake baking and its shelf life. Porosity, cake texture and sensory acceptance, symmetry and uniformity indicator, water activity, and mold and yeast test for cake samples were taken during 14 days of storage in a factorial design. Examining the results showed that the probe ultrasound waves directly affected the quality of the cake, both bath and probe ultrasound types, which were applied for 6 min, improved the desired characteristics, while the increase in sounding time for up to 8 min decreased these parameters.

A Novel High-Strength Zn-3Ag-0.5Mg Alloy Processed by Hot Extrusion, Cold Rolling, or High-Pressure Torsion

A novel Zn-3Ag-0.5Mg alloy was plastically deformed using 3 processing paths: hot extrusion (HE), HE followed by cold rolling (CR) and high-pressure torsion (HPT). The processed samples consisted of the η-Zn phase, ε-Zn3Ag precipitates within the matrix, and nanometric Zn2Mg precipitates within the Zn11Mg2 phase located at the grain boundaries. Both the η-Zn phase and Mg-rich phases were enriched in Ag. Electron backscattered diffraction was used to examine the effects of grain size and texture on mechanical behavior with tensile tests performed at room temperature (RT) at different strain rates. The coarse-grained (~ 6 µm) samples after HE exhibited high strength with brittleness due to dislocation interaction with dispersed precipitates and, to some extent, with twinning activation. Significant grain refinement and processing at RT gave an increase in elongation to over 50 pct in CR and 120 pct in HPT. Ductile CR samples with an average grain size of ~ 2 µm and favorable rolling deformation texture gave a yield strength of ~ 254 MPa, a tensile strength of ~ 456 MPa, and a reasonable strain rate sensitivity. These values for the CR samples meet the mechanical requirements for biodegradable stents in cardiovascular applications.

The physicochemical, texture hardness and sensorial properties of ultrafiltrated low-fat cheese containinggalactomannan and novagel gum.

Today’s demand for low-fat dairy products, especially cheeses with favorable qualitative properties such as high-fat cheese, has increased. The main goals of this research are to optimize the textural hardness properties of ultrafiltrated, low-fat cheese (7–9%), to investigate the possibility of its production with various concentrations of galactomannan and novagel (0.1–0.5%), and to assess the physicochemical, textural hardness and sensorial properties of the produced low-fat cheese in comparison with full-fat cheese. The textural hardness of the cheeses was tested by a texture analyzer (Stable micro system TA.XT plus Texture, London, UK) equipped with a load cell of 5 kg. The pH values were measured using the      pH meter and acidity of the cheese samples according to AOAC standard no. 15004 (AOAC, 1995b). The moisture content and dry matter were measured according to AOAC standard number 920.124 (AOAC, 1995a) as well. The total protein was measured according to AOAC standard no. 991.20 (AOAC, 2005). The amounts of salt and ash were measured according to AOAC (1995a) standard no. 945.46 (AOAC, 1995b), respectively. The results show that the textural hardness properties and sensorial properties of the cheese treatment containing 9% fat, 0.5% galactomannan, and 0.3% novagel are very similar to selected control samples. Meanwhile, optimization of the textural properties of low-fat cheeses via the response-surface method shows that the treatment containing 9% fat, 0.32% novagel and 0.5% galactomannan fulfills the desirable properties of a full-fat cheese up to 100% desirability. The results of this research also show that by using galactomannan and novagel in the formulation of low-fat cheese, it can be produced with favorable texture textural hardness and sensorial properties close to full-fat cheese.

The physicochemical, texture hardness and sensorial properties of ultrafiltrated low-fat cheese containinggalactomannan and novagel gum [pdf

BACKGROUND Today’s demand for low-fat dairy products, especially cheeses with favorable qualitative properties such as high-fat cheese, has increased. The main goals of this research are to optimize the textural hardness properties of ultrafiltrated, low-fat cheese (7–9%), to investigate the possibility of its production with various concentrations of galactomannan and novagel (0.1–0.5%), and to assess the physicochemical, textural hardness and sensorial properties of the produced low-fat cheese in comparison with full-fat cheese. METHODS The textural hardness of the cheeses was tested by a texture analyzer (Stable micro system TA.XT plus Texture, London, UK) equipped with a load cell of 5 kg. The pH values were measured using the pH meter and acidity of the cheese samples according to AOAC standard no. 15004 (AOAC, 1995b). The moisture content and dry matter were measured according to AOAC standard number 920.124 (AOAC, 1995a) as well. The total protein was measured according to AOAC standard no. 991.20 (AOAC, 2005). The amounts of salt and ash were measured according to AOAC (1995a) standard no. 945.46 (AOAC, 1995b), respectively. RESULTS The results show that the textural hardness properties and sensorial properties of the cheese treatment containing 9% fat, 0.5% galactomannan, and 0.3% novagel are very similar to selected control samples. Meanwhile, optimization of the textural properties of low-fat cheeses via the response-surface method shows that the treatment containing 9% fat, 0.32% novagel and 0.5% galactomannan fulfills the desirable properties of a full-fat cheese up to 100% desirability. CONCLUSIONS The results of this research also show that by using galactomannan and novagel in the formulation of low-fat cheese, it can be produced with favorable texture textural hardness and sensorial properties close to full-fat cheese.

Effect of Rare Earth Ce on Deep Stamping Properties of High-Strength Interstitial-Free Steel Containing Phosphorus.

The influence of rare earth Ce on the deep stamping property of high-strength interstitial-free (IF) steel containing phosphorus was analyzed. After adding 120 kg ferrocerium alloy (Ce content is 10%) in the steel, the inclusion statistics and the two-dimensional morphology of the samples in the direction of 1/4 thickness of slab and each rolling process were observed and compared by scanning electron microscope (SEM). After the samples in each rolling process were treated by acid leaching, the three-dimensional morphology and components of the second phase precipitates were observed by SEM and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). The microstructure of the sample was observed by optical microscope, and the grain size was compared. Meanwhile, the content and strength of the favorable texture were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Finally, the mechanical properties of the product were analyzed. The results showed that: (1) The combination of rare earth Ce with activity O and S in steel had lower Gibbs free energy, and it was easy to generate CeAlO3, Ce2O2S, and Ce2O3. The inclusions size was obviously reduced, but the number of inclusions was increased after adding rare earth. The morphology of inclusions changed from chain and strip to spherical. The size of rare earth inclusions was mostly about 2–5 μm, distributed and dispersed, and their elastic modulus was close to that of steel matrix, which was conducive to improving the structure continuity of steel. (2) The rare earth compound had a high melting point. As a heterogeneous nucleation point, the nucleation rate was increased and the solidification structure was refined. The grade of grain size of products was increased by 1.5 grades, which is helpful to improve the strength and plasticity of metal. (3) Rare earth Ce can inhibit the segregation of P element at the grain boundary and the precipitation of Fe(Nb+Ti)P phase. It can effectively increase the solid solution amount of P element in steel, improve the solid solution strengthening effect of P element in high-strength IF steel, and obtain a large proportion of {111} favorable texture, which is conducive to improving the stamping formability index r90 value.

The effect of Equal Channel Angular Pressing on the stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of AZ31 alloy in simulated body fluid

Despite the great potential of Mg and its alloys as material for biodegradable implants, their low resistance to the simultaneous action of corrosion and mechanical stresses in the human body have hampered their use. Stress Corrosion Cracking has been reported as one of the most critical failure modes to overcome to allow such materials to be clinically applied. Thus, in this paper we investigate the effect of Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) on the Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) susceptibility of the AZ31 Mg alloy. To do so, AZ31 alloy has been subjected to 1, 2 and 4 passes of ECAP, and the samples so obtained have then been tested by means Slow Strain Rate Tests (SSRTs) in Simulated Body Fluid (SBF) at 37 °C. Samples subjected to one pass of ECAP are shown to be less susceptible to SCC compared to the material in the as-received condition, while further ECAP processing (2 and 4 passes) are found to worsen the SCC susceptibility. To understand the different SCC susceptibilities shown by the differently ECAPed samples, microstructural analyses, potentiodynamic polarization curves, hydrogen evolution experiments and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analyses of the fracture surfaces were carried out. The improved corrosion resistance of the samples subjected to 1 pass of ECAP compared to the samples in the as received condition (due to a finer grain size) and to the samples subjected to 2 and 4 passes (due to a more favourable texture evolution) represents the reason of their reduced SCC susceptibility.

The role of recrystallization and grain growth in optimizing the sheet texture of magnesium alloys with calcium addition during annealing

Abstract The contribution of recrystallization and grain growth to the texture evolution in AZ31 alloy and a modified version AZ31+0.5 wt.% Ca was investigated utilizing a multi-step annealing process. The results showed that the addition of Ca triggered a considerable texture modification by increasing the texture spread and decreasing the overall texture intensity. This effect was found to be temperature dependent. When the annealing temperature remained lower than 450 °C, a weak double peak texture with large basal pole tilt towards the RD was formed. This is correlated to microstructure observations of a large number of Ca-containing nano-sized particles that seemed to suppress grain growth below 450 °C, which stabilized the weak recrystallization texture. This favorable texture was lost upon annealing at higher temperatures. In AZ31, recrystallization nuclei were found to preserve the orientation of their deformed parents, which offered limited potential to optimize the texture via annealing treatments. Grain growth of recrystallized grains resulted in a distinct sheet texture transition from a double-peak to a single-peak basal texture. Aspects of grain boundary energy and grain topology are discussed to explain the growth advantage of the sharp basal component over other orientations.

The Influence of a Novel Inorganic-Polymer Lubricant on the Microstructure of Interstitial-Free Steel during Ferrite Rolling

A novel polyphosphate lubricant was used and evaluated during hot (ferrite) rolling of an interstitial-free (IF) steel. The texture evolution of these rolled IF steels have been examined by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) measurements. The polyphosphate lubricant shows an improved lubrication performance in terms of the texture optimization compared with lubricating oil and with unlubricated conditions. The γ-fiber texture is enhanced, and less shear texture is produced. This microstructure is responsible for enhanced drawability of ferrite rolled IF steels. The very high thermal stability of the polyphosphate enabled its use at very high temperatures (from 700 to 800 °C). Rolling temperature exerted limited influence on the resulting rolling texture evolution. The polyphosphate lubricant stabilizes the surface texture and reduces the gradient of shear texture through the thickness. The in-grain shear bands are reduced significantly (48.5%) compared with the unlubricated condition. Measured grain orientations indicate that the favorable texture of {111}<112> along the γ-fiber is developed while the undesired α-fiber texture of {001}<110> is effectively suppressed.

Shear cracks of Zircaloy tube during cold pilgering: experimental investigation and numerical modeling

Cold pilgering process is a seamless tube forming technology, in which the metal is subjected to a series of small incremental deformations. It has been extensively applied for the manufacturing of cladding tube in nuclear reactors, due to high dimensional accuracy and favorable texture evolution. Notwithstanding, the pilgered tubes showed a kind of shear cracks similar to those obtained during low-cycle shear fatigue experiments. To confirm it, a novel low-cycle shear fatigue experiment was designed, in which the shear stress amplitude was obtained from a tracking point in the inner surface of the pilgered tube through finite element model (FEM). Additionally, a theoretical model was established based on the experimental results to predict fatigue life during the cold pilgering process. Through this model, the effects of Q value, side relief, and friction coefficient on the safety factor during cold pilgering were investigated. The results showed that with the increase of Q value, and the decrease of the difference between the friction coefficients of the inner and outer surfaces, the safety of cold pilgering tube could be improved by decreasing the tendency of shear cracks.

The evolution of cube ({001}) texture in non-oriented electrical steel

Due to the alignment of two easy 〈100〉 axes in the sheet plane, the cube orientation ({001}<100>) is an ideal texture for non-oriented electrical steel sheets used as core lamination for electric motors. However, this magnetically favorable texture was rarely able to be produced using conventional rolling and annealing routes in non-oriented electrical steels. In this research, inclined cold rolling − a simple rolling scheme to alter the initial texture before cold rolling − was applied to a 2.8 wt% Si non-oriented electrical steel, in order to intentionally “create” a rotated Goss ({110}<110>) texture before cold rolling, which was not commonly observed in hot-rolled electrical steels. Plane-strain compression (rolling) of the rotated Goss was able to produce cube crystallites within the matrix, at the grain boundaries and within the shear bands of the deformed rotated Goss grains. The cube crystallites within the shear bands had lower stored energy than their surroundings, and served as the initial seeds for nucleation. Upon annealing, the cube crystallites preferentially nucleated from the shear bands and competitively grew out of the surrounding substructure, forming a strong cube texture in the final sheet. The formation of the initial cube crystallites within the shear bands of the deformed microstructure was believed to be necessary for the development of a final cube texture in the annealed electrical steel sheet. Although inclined rolling may be difficult to be implemented in industrial production, its unique capability to produce uncommon initial texture before cold rolling provides an interesting technique for the study of texture involution during thermomechanical processing.

Effects of free transplantation of expanded perforator flaps in the treatment of severe scar contracture deformities in children

Objective: To explore the effects of using free transplantation of expanded perforator flaps in the treatment of severe scar contracture deformities in children. Methods: From January 2010 to December 2018, 18 pediatric patients with severe scar contracture were admitted to Xijing Hospital of Air Force Medical University, and 3 pediatric patients with severe scar contracture were admitted to Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University. There were 14 males and 7 females among the 21 pediatric patients, who were 3-12 years old, with 15 cases of cervicothoracic adhesion, 5 cases of chin-chest adhesion, and 1 case of ankle joint contracture. According to the location of scar contracture and the size of wound after release, the donor site of perforator flap and expander volume were selected, and the expander was inserted to expand the flap. After expanding to proper volume, the contracted scar was resected and released. The perforator flap was designed and transplanted freely according to the wound. The flap area ranged from 14 cm×6 cm to 18 cm×15 cm. The location of the expanded flaps, the number, location, rated volume, and the location of injection port of the inserted expanders, the survival condition of flaps, the complications, the repair of donor sites, and the follow-ups were analyzed. Results: Among this group of pediatric patients, 16 cases used expanded thoracodorsal artery perforator flap, 3 cases used expanded circumflex scapular artery perforator flap, and 2 cases used expanded anterolateral thigh perforator flap, with 14 cases of pure donor site expansion and 7 cases of donor site expansion together with expansion beside donor site. Thirty-four expanders were inserted in 21 pediatric patients, with 21 under flaps, 6 near scars, and 7 near donor sites. The rated volumes of 26 expanders were 200 mL, while those of the remaining 8 expanders were 400 mL. Eight injection ports were placed externally, while the rest were placed internally. All the 21 flaps survived completely. Vascular crisis occurred in 1 pediatric patient 5 days after operation, and exploratory operation and reanastomosis were performed. The donor sites of 19 pediatric patients were closed directly, while the small wounds in lateral thoracic donor sites of 2 pediatric patients were repaired with thin intermediate split-thickness skin graft collected beside the donor site. Follow-up for 6 to 36 months showed that the texture and color of area repaired by the flaps were close to the surrounding skin. The flaps in the neck region of 8 pediatric patients were slightly bulky, requiring debulking operation, while the other cases had good appearance. The movement function of the involved regions was basically restored to normal, and no recurrence of contracture occurred. Conclusions: Free transplantation of expanded perforator flaps can achieve favorable appearance, texture, and function restore in treating severe scar contracture deformities in children, and the curative effect is stable and lasts long.

Formulation Development and Evaluation of Cosmeceutical Formulation Containing Keratin Derived from Human Hair

Introduction: Keratin has widely existed in wool, hair, feathers, nails and reptile skin, which is a kind of biological characteristics of excellent and good mechanical properties of biological macromolecules. As a functional material, keratin is widely used in biology, medicine, material and other aspects in recent years. Aim: This research aims at formulation, development and evaluation of Cosmeceutical formulation using keratin derived from human hairs. Objectives: The main objectives of this study were accomplished by following step: 1. To develop a Cosmeceutical formulation containing keratin derived from human hair. 2. To evaluate and develop formulation for its stability and efficacy. 3. Comparative evaluation of developed formulation with marketed product. Methods Used: Extraction, purification and isolation of keratin from human hair. Conclusion: From all the parameter studies, we concluded that keratin gel for human hair have nourishing activity with hair strength, hair shining and softness to the hair. Favourable formulation texture profile along with viscosity, pH, spreadability and nourishing activity has ensured the quality and stability of the gel as compared with different marketed formulations.

Influence of oxygen exposure on fermentation process and sensory qualities of Sichuan pickle (paocai).

The physicochemical and microbial changes, volatile profile, texture and appearance were investigated in three groups of Sichuan pickles differing in oxygen exposure during a 64 day fermentation process. At the beginning, all the Sichuan pickles displayed similar sensory and fermentation characteristics regarding lactic acid bacteria domination, sugar utilization, and lactate accumulation. Soon afterwards, continued exposure allowed premature pellicle formation and typical aerobic deterioration of Sichuan pickle, accompanied by texture destruction and an odorous stench characterized by arenes and aldehydes on the 32nd day. Meanwhile, the facultative anaerobes including Lactobacillus (90 ± 2%), Pediococcus (4.7 ± 0.3%) and Lactococcus (1.2 ± 0.8%) were the dominant genera and probably associated with acetic acid production and arene enrichment under oxygen exposure conditions on the 32nd day. Until the 48th day, intermittent oxygen exposure resulted in pellicle formation and an unpleasant flavor characterized by ketones, esters and S-methyl thioacetate. In comparison, Sichuan pickle without oxygen exposure always maintained a relatively favorable fragrant scent and texture. Besides Lactobacillus, anaerobic genera were the main bacteria in Sichuan pickle under closed conditions and accounted for 50 ± 9% of the total bacteria on the 32nd day. The study indicated the microbial and chemical characteristics of Sichuan pickles during practical production and provided a theoretical guidance for the industrial production of Sichuan pickle.