Intrinsic Viscosity Research Articles

Effect of the multiple injection process on the structural and mechanical properties of PP impact copolymers focusing on the deformation of ethylene-propylene copolymer

The influence of multiple injection on the structural and mechanical properties of PP impact copolymers (ICP) has been investigated, mainly focusing on the deformation of dispersed ethylene-propylene copolymer (EPC) particles in ICPs. Various properties of recycled ICPs throughout repetitive injection processes have been compared. The thermo-mechanical degradation by heat and shear stress imposed on ICPs several times via multiple injection triggered chemical changes, such as the generation of CC and CO bonds and chain scission in ICPs. These changes alter the crystallinity of the ICPs by shortening the chain length and narrowing the molecular weight distribution. To determine the effect of multiple injection on the deformation of EPC particles, the intrinsic viscosities (IV) of the polypropylene (PP) matrix and dispersed EPC were measured. Degradation by multiple injection was greater for PP than for EPC, thereby increasing the viscosity ratio (IVEPC/IVPP). At a high viscosity ratio, the PP matrix could not effectively transfer shear stress to the dispersed EPC particles, causing the EPC particles to agglomerate and become larger with poor dispersity. Regarding the mechanical properties, the agglomeration of EPC exerted a significant negative effect on the Izod impact strength. Finally, numerical calculations in the injection mold flow region confirmed that the re-injected product required a higher shear stress than the virgin product.

Verletzungen und Überlastungsschäden beim Wingfoilen

In this study, levan from Bacillus licheniformis NS032 was modified in an aqueous medium by octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA), and the properties of the obtained derivatives were studied. The maximum efficiency in the synthesis reaction was achieved at 40 °C and a polysaccharide slurry concentration of 30 %. Increasing the reagent concentration (2–10 %) led to an increase in the degree of substitution (0.016–0.048). Structures of derivatives were confirmed by FTIR and NMR. Scanning electronic microscopy, thermogravimetry, and dynamic light scattering analyses showed that the derivatives with degrees of substitution of 0.025 and 0.036 retained levan's porous structure and thermostability and showed better colloidal stability than the native polysaccharide. The intrinsic viscosity of derivatives increased upon modification, while the surface tension of the 1 % solution was lowered to 61 mN/m. Oil-in-water emulsions prepared with sunflower oil (10 % and 20 %) by mechanical homogenization and 2 and 10 % derivatives in the continuous phase showed mean oil droplet sizes of 106–195 μm, while the distribution curves exhibited bimodal character. The studied derivatives have a good capacity to stabilize emulsions, as they have a creaming index ranging from 73 % to 94 %. The OSA-modified levans could have potential applications in new formulations of emulsion-based systems.

Synthesis of octenyl succinic anhydride-modified levan and investigation of its microstructural, physicochemical, and emulsifying properties

In this study, levan from Bacillus licheniformis NS032 was modified in an aqueous medium by octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA), and the properties of the obtained derivatives were studied. The maximum efficiency in the synthesis reaction was achieved at 40 °C and a polysaccharide slurry concentration of 30 %. Increasing the reagent concentration (2–10 %) led to an increase in the degree of substitution (0.016–0.048). Structures of derivatives were confirmed by FTIR and NMR. Scanning electronic microscopy, thermogravimetry, and dynamic light scattering analyses showed that the derivatives with degrees of substitution of 0.025 and 0.036 retained levan's porous structure and thermostability and showed better colloidal stability than the native polysaccharide. The intrinsic viscosity of derivatives increased upon modification, while the surface tension of the 1 % solution was lowered to 61 mN/m. Oil-in-water emulsions prepared with sunflower oil (10 % and 20 %) by mechanical homogenization and 2 and 10 % derivatives in the continuous phase showed mean oil droplet sizes of 106–195 μm, while the distribution curves exhibited bimodal character. The studied derivatives have a good capacity to stabilize emulsions, as they have a creaming index ranging from 73 % to 94 %. The OSA-modified levans could have potential applications in new formulations of emulsion-based systems.

Exploiting the Use of Salvia Hispanica L. (chia) Oil as a Renewable Raw Material to Produce Air‐Drying Alkyd Resins: A Comparative Study

AbstractThis work addresses a comparative study focused on the synthesis of alkyd resins from different renewable resources such as chia, castor and palm vegetable oils through the alcoholysis–polycondensation process. The formed alkyd resins are analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), 1H NMR, and 13C NMR. Besides, intrinsic viscosity and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) assays are conducted to evaluate the differences between the obtained resins focusing on their molecular weight and physicochemical properties. FTIR shows a satisfactory conversion from vegetable oils to alkyd resins. Both 1H NMR and 13C NMR indicate that alkyd resins are successfully synthesized. The values for molecular‐weight dispersity (ÐM) obtained for the resins are 2.3, 1.3, and 1.7 from chia, palm, and crude castor, along with the weight‐average molecular weight (Mw) of 4516, 1025, and 2451 g mol−1, respectively. The chia alkyd resin shows a 571.92 cP and is the highest viscosity obtained. It is also observed that an increase in phthalic anhydride can increase the molecular weight of the alkyd resin. This comparative study indicates that chia oil alkyd resin has enormous potential to be employed as a surface coating agent.

Synthesis and molecular structure of highly compact star-like poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(butyl methacrylate)

Poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(n-butyl methacrylate) highly dense star-like polymers with a varied number and length of arms were prepared by the arm-first group transfer polymerization. The work is focused on the detailed characterization of the molecular structure and dilute solution properties of star-like polymers. The refractive index increment of the star-like polymers was compared with that of corresponding linear homopolymers. The prepared polymers were characterized by size exclusion chromatography coupled with a multi-angle light scattering detector and an online viscometer. Except for the commonly used molar mass, root mean square radius, and intrinsic viscosity, the obtained data also allowed the determination of the distribution of the arms per molecule, the calculation of the average number of arms per molecule, and the determination of the molar mass dependency of the draining factor. The relation between the number of arms per molecule and molar mass was estimated using various theoretical equations and compared with the true values obtained by the division of the slice molar mass by the molar mass of arms.

Structure of polyvinylpyrrolidone in water/ethanol mixture in dilute and semi-dilute regimes: Roles of solvents mixture composition and polymer concentration

This study aims to describe the structure of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP, Mw = 40.000 g/mol) in water/ethanol solution in dilute and semi dilute regimes at 25 °C by viscosity measurements. Intrinsic viscosity of the polymer is determined for different ethanol molar fractions, XA. The cononsolvency of PVP in water/ethanolis evident and manifested by a contraction in the 0.05–0.4ethanol molar fraction range. The overlapping concentration,CPVP∗(XA), of PVP in water/ethanol increases with increasing XA. The Flory exponent, ν(XA), and the Mark-Houwink-Sakurada(MHS) coefficients,a(XA), are deduced by plotting the double logarithm of the relative viscosity versus polymer concentration in semi-dilute regime. The Flory exponent and the MHS values are shown to be dependent on XA. The blob model theory is extended and used to study the structure of a polymer in its mixed solvents. So, the structure of PVP in water/ethanol mixture is described by determining the structural parameters: density of monomers, monomer size, correlation length and the number of monomer in each blob for the PVP concentration ranged from CPVP∗(XA) to 2CPVP∗(XA). A spectacular reduction of the correlation length is observed in the 0.1–0.3 ethanol molar fraction.

Bacterial capsular polysaccharides with antibiofilm activity share common biophysical and electrokinetic properties

Bacterial biofilms are surface-attached communities that are difficult to eradicate due to a high tolerance to antimicrobial agents. The use of non-biocidal surface-active compounds to prevent the initial adhesion and aggregation of bacterial pathogens is a promising alternative to antibiotic treatments and several antibiofilm compounds have been identified, including some capsular polysaccharides released by various bacteria. However, the lack of chemical and mechanistic understanding of the activity of these polymers limits their use to control biofilm formation. Here, we screen a collection of 31 purified capsular polysaccharides and first identify seven new compounds with non-biocidal activity against Escherichia coli and/or Staphylococcus aureus biofilms. We measure and theoretically interpret the electrophoretic mobility of a subset of 21 capsular polysaccharides under applied electric field conditions, and we show that active and inactive polysaccharide polymers display distinct electrokinetic properties and that all active macromolecules share high intrinsic viscosity features. Despite the lack of specific molecular motif associated with antibiofilm properties, the use of criteria including high density of electrostatic charges and permeability to fluid flow enables us to identify two additional capsular polysaccharides with broad-spectrum antibiofilm activity. Our study therefore provides insights into key biophysical properties discriminating active from inactive polysaccharides. The characterization of a distinct electrokinetic signature associated with antibiofilm activity opens new perspectives to identify or engineer non-biocidal surface-active macromolecules to control biofilm formation in medical and industrial settings.

Influence of Disinfection Methods on Cinematographic Film.

Microbiological contamination of cinematographic films can cause damage and loss of image information. A large part of the films is made with the base of cellulose triacetate, which has been used from the 1940s until today. Cellulose triacetate is relatively resistant to common organic solvents, but some types of microorganisms can contribute to its faster degradation. In this work, we tested four types of disinfectants suitable for mass disinfection and sufficiently effective against various types of microorganisms. Butanol vapours, a commercial mixture of alcohols (Bacillol® AF), Septonex® (an aqueous solution of [1-(ethoxycarbonyl)pentadecyl] trimethylammonium bromide) and ethylene oxide applied as a gas mixed with carbon dioxide were tested. Samples of a commercial film made of cellulose triacetate were disinfected. The samples were aged for 56 days at 70 °C and 55% RH. Changes in optical, mechanical and chemical properties were studied. None of the disinfectants affected the change in the degree of substitution. For samples disinfected with Bacillol® AF (alcohol mixture), part of the plasticiser (triphenyl phosphate) was extracted and the intrinsic viscosity of the cellulose triacetate solution was reduced after ageing. A slight decrease in intrinsic viscosity also occurred after disinfection with ethylene oxide. Compared to the non-disinfected samples, butanol vapours and Septonex® appear to be the most gentle disinfectants for the cellulose triacetate film base, within the studied parameters.

On the Absence of Cyclic Structures in Branched Polystyrenes Synthesized by Living Three-Dimensional Radical Polymerization in the Medium of a Deteriorating Thermodynamic Quality Solvent

Branched polystyrenes are synthesized by the radical copolymerization of styrene and divinylbenzene with reversible inhibition (in the presence of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl) under deteriorating thermodynamic quality of the solvent. The resulting polymers are studied by size-exclusion chromatography combined with static light scattering, ozonolysis, NMR spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. The branched polymers synthesized by living radical polymerization are characterized by lower intrinsic viscosity values than their linear analogs. Kuhn–Mark–Houwink parameters for these polymers in a tetrahydrofuran solution (а = 0.29) confirm the nonlinear architecture of macromolecules and a high content of pendant double bonds comparable in the order of magnitude with their theoretical content in the absence of the cyclization reaction indicate their branched structure. The glass transition temperature of the branched polystyrenes is 20–35°С lower than the glass transition temperature of the linear polystyrene.

The Effect of Ultrasound Pretreatment on Pectin Extraction from Watermelon Rind Using Microwave-Assisted Extraction

Ultrasound pretreatment and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) techniques were used to extract pectin from watermelon rind. This work investigated the effect of the power and time of pretreatment on the yield and characteristics of the extracted pectin. Imaging studies showed that ultrasonic pretreatment changed the morphology of the raw powder, leading to a greater porosity, and facilitated the extraction process. The highest extraction yield of pectin was 19.08% (w/w), for 5 min of extraction at 500 W ultrasonic pretreatment. Ultrasonic pretreatment affected the degree of esterification and the galacturonic acid content of pectin. The galacturonic acid content of all samples was higher than 69.0%. Extraction pretreatment reduced the surface tension value of the aqueous solution of pectin and affected the foam capacity of pectin and its monosaccharidic composition. The ultrasonic pretreatment caused significant changes in pectin characteristics, such as intrinsic viscosity, viscosity average, molecular weight, ratio of homogalacturonan to rhamnogalacturonan and the water holding capacity. In addition, kinetic studies showed that a kinetic empirical model adequately describes the effect of ultrasonic pretreatment on foam stability and its half-time.

Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Wholly Aromatic Copolyesters Based on 4'-Hydroxybiphenyl-3-Carboxylic and 3-Hydroxybenzoic Acids.

A series of new wholly aromatic (co)polyesters based on m-substituted bifunctional comonomers-4'-hydroxybiphenyl-3-carboxylic (3HBCA) and 3-hydroxybenzoic (3HBA) acids with molar ratios of 3HBCA:3HBA from 0:100 to 60:40, respectively-was synthesized. NMR and FTIR spectroscopy methods proved the full compliance of the copolymer composition with the target ratio of comonomers, as well as high compositional homogeneity (absence of block sequences). The resulting copolyesters have a sufficiently high molecular weight and their intrinsic viscosity values are in the range of 0.6-0.8 dL/g. Thermal analysis showed that all 3HBCA-3HBA copolyesters are amorphous, and with an increase in the content of biphenyl units (3HBCA), the glass transition temperature increases significantly (up to 190 °C). The onset of the intense thermal decomposition of the synthesized polyesters occurs above 450 °C. Thus, this indicates a sufficiently high thermal stability of these polyesters. Rheological measurements have shown that melts of copolyesters with a high content of 3HBCA units exhibit anisotropic properties. At the same time, the method of polarization optical microscopy did not confirm the transition to the liquid crystal state for these polyesters. These results confirm that it is possible to obtain high-performance polyesters based on 3HBCA, but not a mesogenic comonomer. Thus, 3HBCA is a promising comonomer for the synthesis of new thermotropic copolyesters with controlled anisotropic properties.

A novel method for long‐term preserving of urine microstructure using poly(vinyl chloride)

AbstractFor urinalysis teaching and routine clinical imaging of urine, urine microscopic test needs slides that can be clearly examined for long term, which is still under focus. This study hypothesized, that poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and polystyrene (PS) could be able to reserve the urine components for a long time. Therefore, we explored, for the first time upon our knowledge, the potential of PVC and PS polymers to adhere the cover slide. The physical properties, viscosity, average molecular weight, the tensile strength and intrinsic viscosity of the polymers were determined. A normal slide (8 × 3 cm × 1 mm) was used to test a urine sample in the presence of either 3% PVC in tetra hydro‐furan(THF) or 3% PS. The results of imaging the PVC and PS slide indicate a clear and transparent vision. The PVC urine slide maintains normal components of urine up to a year, which did not observe in the PS slide. These results suggest that PVC is an effective polymer to protect urine compositions from hydrolyses or decomposition, which makes this novel urine slide a successful candidate for long‐term teaching of urinalyses.

Influence of Cross-Linking and Crystalline Morphology on the Shape-Memory Properties of PET/PEN/PCL Copolyesters Using Trimesic Acid and Glycerol.

PCL-based biodegradable shape-memory polymers (SMPs) are limited in strength, which restricts their practical applications. In this study, a series of novel SMPs, composed of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), poly(ethylene naphthalate) (PEN), and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), were synthesized and cross-linked using planar (benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid, BTC) or non-planar (glycerol, GC) cross-linkers via the one-pot method. The influence of different kinds of cross-linkers and hard segments of copolyesters on the thermal properties, crystallization behavior, mechanical properties, shape-memory performance, and degradability was investigated by FT-IR, 1H-NMR, DSC, DMA, TGA, XRD, tensile test, intrinsic viscosity measurement, and in vitro enzymatic degradation test. The results indicate that the tensile strength of the copolyester can be significantly improved from 27.8 to 53.2 MPa by partially replacing PET with PEN while maintaining its shape-memory characteristics. Moreover, a small amount of cross-linking modification leads to higher temperature sensitivity, improved shape recovery rate at third round (Rr(3) = 99.1%), and biodegradability in the cross-linked PET/PEN/PCL shape-memory polymers. By changing the crystallization morphology and cross-linking forms of the material, we have developed a shape-memory polymer with both high strength and a high shape recovery rate, which provides a new strategy for the development of shape-memory materials.

Molecular Characterization and Bioactivities of a Novel Polysaccharide from Phyllostachys pracecox Bamboo Shoot Residues.

Dietary carbohydrates are unexploited in the by-products of economically valuable Phyllostachys pracecox bamboo shoots. A residue-derived polysaccharide (PBSR1) was aqueously extracted from the processing waste of this bamboo shoot species. Its primary structure and advanced conformation were elucidated by a combined analysis of spectroscopy, chromatography, 2D nuclear magnetic resonance, laser light scattering and atomic microscopy. The results indicated PBSR1 was a triple-helix galactan consisting of →6)-β-D-Galp and →3)-β-D-Galp in linear with an 863 KD molecular weight (Mw). The relationship between the radius of gyration (Rg) and intrinsic viscosity ([η]) on Mw were established as Rg = 1.95 × 10-2Mw0.52±0.03 (nm) and [η] = 9.04 × 10-1Mw0.56±0.02 (mL/g) for PBSR1 in saline solution at 25 °C, which indicated it adopted a triple-helix chain shape with a height of 1.60 ± 0.12 nm supported by a red shift of λmax in Congo red analysis. The thermodynamic test (TG) displayed that it had excellent thermal stability for the food industry. Further, those unique structure features furnish PBSR1 on antioxidation with EC50 of 0.65 mg/mL on DPPH· and an ORAC value of 329.46 ± 12.1 μmol TE/g. It also possessed pronounced immunostimulation by up-regulating pro-inflammatory signals including NO, IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β in murine cells. Our studies provided substantial data for the high-valued application of residues and a better understanding of the structure-function relationship of polysaccharide.

Polycondensation of Acid anhydrides with Asparaginyl Imide Diamine and Curing with Styrene as Smart Polymers for Sustained Release Drug Delivery System

Polymers can provide new and effective ways of administering drugs and enhance therapeutic efficacy. Polymers also present a means for controlled delivery of several drugs in the form of polymeric drug carriers or polymeric prodrugs. Our study involved synthesize of new condensed polymers from reacting of unsaturated acid anhydride such as maleic or methylnadic anhydrides, with prepared N-asparaginyl imide diamine, which prepared from reacting of asparaginyl chloride with ammonia. The new condensed polymers were curing with styrene and the cross-linked polymers were obtained with high conversion percent. The physical properties were measured and all the prepared monomers and polymers were characterized by FT-IR and UV spectroscopy. The intrinsic viscosity was calculated and swelling index was measured for the prepared cross-linked polymers. The inserted asparagine as amino acid could enhance the biodegradability properties, and these prepared bioactive polymers can be used as biomaterial in different applications, which could be acted as smart polymers due to pH sensitivity.

Preparation of Titania-Silica Composite Aerogel at Atmospheric Pressure and Its Catalytic Performance in the Synthesis of Poly (Butylene Succinate).

Titanates are widely used in the synthesis of polyesters, such as Poly (butylene succinate) (PBS), due to their excellent catalytic activity for polycondensation. However, the hydrolysis sensitivity of titanate and side reactions at high temperatures restrict the further improvement of the molecular weight of polyesters and lead to the high content of end carboxyl group content in the products. In this work, we prepared titania-silica composite aerogels with resistance to hydrolysis and large specific surface area, which were further explored as an efficient catalyst for polycondensation reactions. A series of titania-silica composite aerogel catalysts for PBS polycondensation were successfully prepared by the sol-gel method. The influence of a Ti/Si ratio on the surface morphology and structure of the aerogels was examined. Titania-silica composite aerogel exhibits the surface characteristics of high specific surface area and high Lewis acid content. The specific surface area of titania-silica composite aerogels can reach 524.59 m2/g, and the Lewis acid content on the surface can reach 370.29 μmol/g. Furthermore, the catalytic performance for the polycondensation reaction of PBS was investigated. The intrinsic viscosity of PBS synthesized by catalysis with the composite catalyst with a Ti/Si ratio of 9/1 reaches 1.74 dL/g, with the Mn of 7.72 × 104 g/mol. The hydrolysis resistance stability of the titania-silica composite aerogel is greatly improved compared with traditional tetrabutyl titanate (TBT), and the end carboxyl group content of PBS is effectively reduced to lower than 30 mol/ton.

Strong non-ideality effects at low protein concentrations: considerations for elongated proteins.

A recent investigation was aimed at obtaining structural information on a highly extended protein via SEC-MALS-SAXS. Significantly broadened elution peaks were observed, reminiscent of a phenomenon known as viscous fingering. This phenomenon is usually observed above 50mg/mL for proteins like bovine serum albumin (BSA). Interestingly, the highly extended protein (Brpt5.5) showed viscous fingering at concentrations lower than 5mg/mL. The current study explores this and other non-ideal behavior, emphasizing the presence of these effects at relatively low concentrations for extended proteins. BSA, Brpt5.5, and a truncated form of Brpt5.5 referred to as Brpt1.5 are studied systematically using size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), sedimentation velocity analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC), and viscosity. The viscous fingering effect is quantified using two approaches and is found to correlate well with the intrinsic viscosity of the proteins-Brpt5.5 exhibits the most severe effect and is the most extended protein tested in the study. By AUC, the hydrodynamic non-ideality was measured for each protein via global analysis of a concentration series. Compared to BSA, both Brpt1.5 and Brpt5.5 showed significant non-ideality that could be easily visualized at concentrations at or below 5mg/mL and 1mg/mL, respectively. A variety of relationships were examined for their ability to differentiate the proteins by shape using information from AUC and/or viscosity. Furthermore, these relationships were also tested in the context of hydrodynamic modeling. The importance of considering non-ideality when investigating the structure of extended macromolecules is discussed.

Effects of zeolite on rheological properties of asphalt materials and asphalt-filler interaction ability

The rheological properties of asphalt materials (asphalt binder and mastic) and asphalt-filler interactions play critical roles in the performance of asphalt mixtures. However, the rheological properties of zeolite-foamed asphalt materials and zeolite-foamed asphalt-filler interactions are significantly influenced by zeolite, which is used as a foaming additive. To study the effects of zeolite on the rheological properties of asphalt materials and asphalt-filler interaction, the base asphalt, limestone filler, and two kinds of zeolites in two dehydrated states were selected to prepare zeolite asphalt/mastic and zeolite-foamed asphalt/mastic. First, the effects of zeolite on the chemical composition and micromorphology of asphalt binders were evaluated using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) and fluorescence microscopy (FM), respectively. Then, the rheological properties of asphalt binders and mastics were measured by rotational viscosity (RV) and dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) tests. The results indicated that zeolite did not chemically react with the components of asphalt, and zeolite minerals played a role in volume filling and physical adsorption in asphalt, which dispersed in the asphalt in the form of floccules. Adding zeolite minerals to asphalt binders and mastics enhanced the elasticity, which was beneficial to high-temperature performance and adverse to fatigue performance. Conversely, the effect of zeolite water released by zeolite was the opposite. The effect of zeolite on the rheological properties of asphalt materials was consistent with that of zeolite minerals because the enhancing effect of zeolite minerals was dominant, offsetting the weakening effect of zeolite water in asphalt binders and mastics. The three indices, namely, intrinsic viscosity [η], Palierne-C-G* parameter, and Ziegel-B-δ parameter, were selected to evaluate the zeolite asphalt-filler interaction ability and zeolite-foamed asphalt-filler interaction ability. The results showed that the asphalt-filler interaction ability was enhanced after adding zeolite minerals to asphalt, and the influence of zeolite on asphalt-filler interaction was consistent with zeolite minerals. However, the opposite effect was observed for zeolite water.

Comparative analysis of exopolysaccharide-producing Lactiplantibacillus plantarum with ropy and non-ropy phenotypes on the gel properties and protein conformation of fermented milk

In this study, we evaluated the impact of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) with ropy and non-ropy phenotypes on gel structure and protein conformation of fermented milk. Ropy L. plantarum (T1 & CL80) secreted EPS with high molecular weight (1.41 × 106, 1.19 × 106 Da) and intrinsic viscosity (486.46, 316.32 mL/g), effectively enhances fermented milk viscosity and water holding capacity (WHC) (65.4%, 84.6%) by forming a dense gel structure. Non-ropy L. plantarum (CSK & S-1A) fermented milk gel’s high surface hydrophobicity and free sulfhydryl content caused high hardness and low WHC. Raman spectroscopy combined with circular dichroism analysis showed that high levels of α-helix (29.32–30.31%) and random roil (23.06–25.36%) protein structures are the intrinsic factors that contribute to the difference among fermented milk gels of ropy and non-ropy strains. This study provides a basis for understanding the structural variability of fermented milk gels using ropy or non-ropy lactic acid bacteria.

Preparation and Structural Behavior of High-Performance PBO Fibers

To improve the dispersion ability of monomers in the high-viscosity PBO pre-polymerization system, a new large-capacity mixing paddle for PBO pre-polymerization reaction was designed. Through simulated calculation, it was found that the new mixing paddle has good dispersion effect and produced PBO polymer whose intrinsic viscosity was 37.5 dL/g, number-average molecular weight was 92700, and degree of polymerization was 396. Then the PBO fibers were prepared by the dry jet wet spinning technique. The morphology analysis showed that the PBO fibers were well formed, with a diameter of 14 µm. The infrared spectrum analysis verified the structure of PBO fibers. The mechanical test showed that the tensile strength of PBO fibers was 5.04-5.76 GPa and the elongation at break was 3.93% - 4.54%, which means they have good mechanical properties.