Sponge Production Research Articles

High-throughput production of low-cost hydrophobic and oleophilic mullite fiber sponges for high-temperature PM filtration

Particulate matter (PM) from high-temperature emissions like chemical plants, coal stoves and vehicle exhausts poses a gravel challenge to human health. To address this issue, researchers have explored various fiber filters, yet the bulk struggle to withstand high temperatures. In this study, mullite fiber sponges were developed utilizing low-cost materials and Kármán vortex solution blow spinning, using surfactants to improve the spinnability of the sol. Optimized sponges demonstrate ultralight (19 mg cm−3), temperature-resistant reversible compressibility (50% strain) and a water contact angle of 135°. These sponges exhibited exceptional thermal insulation (thermal conductivity: 0.0256 W m−1 K−1) and performed well in high-temperature air filtration. At 800 °C, the mullite sponge with a base weight of 35 mg cm−2, achieved an average filtration efficiency of 98.18 % and 99.57 % for PM2.5 and PM2.5−10, respectively, with a quality value of 0.98 Pa-1 at a wind speed of 4 cm s−1. This low-cost mullite fiber sponge offers a promising avenue for designing high-performance filtration materials.

Investigating the Use of Supercritical Fluids in the Production of Polymer Sponges

Supercritical fluid technologies provide the possibility of obtaining new products with special features and designing new processes that are environmentally friendly and sustainable, and therefore, in this article, the important principles and basics of the production of sponges from a variety of polymer materials along with factors Affecting the properties of the obtained product (such as thermodynamic and rheological properties), it is briefly reviewed and analyzed. Also, in this article, the position of this technology is also mentioned. Therefore, the knowledge of this technology provides the possibility of better understanding of the processes and their proper application by researchers and researchers for the purpose of use in industrial dimensions and scale. DOI: https://doi.org/10.52783/pst.822

A novel process for recovering Cd from the biomass of the hyperaccumulator Celosia argentea Linn

Safe disposal of harvested metal-rich biomass is challenging for phytoextraction. This study designed and optimized a novel process for recovering cadmium (Cd) from the harvested biomass of the hyperaccumulator plant Celosia argentea Linn. The biomass was pyrolyzed at an optimum temperature of 350 ℃, where weight was lost by 59.7 %, and Cd (85.1 %) remained in the pyrolysis residue. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the Cd in the residue mainly existed as Cd2(OH)3Cl and CdMn2O4. The pyrolysis residue was leached with H2SO4 at pH 0.5, and the highest Cd leaching ratio (91.1 %) was achieved. Manganese powder replaced over 91.3 % of the Cd in the leachate at room temperature for 2 h, yielding sponge Cd with a purity of 82.2 %. Approximately 190 mg of sponge Cd was recovered from 1 kg of biomass containing 269 mg·kg−1 Cd, with a total Cd recovery ratio of 70.7 %. These results indicate that the production of Cd sponges from Cd-rich biomass is feasible. This process, which mainly includes pyrolysis, leaching, and replacement, provides a potential method for safely disposing and utilizing Cd-rich biomass.

Study of the composition of the KCl – AlCl<sub>3</sub> – ZrCl<sub>4</sub> – HfCl<sub>4</sub> melt in relation to extractive rectification of zirconium and hafnium chlorides

In 2021, Chepetsk Mechanical Plant SC put into operation the production of a zirconium sponge of nuclear purity for the production of nuclear fuel components. The purification of zirconium from hafnium is carried out by extractive rectification in a KCl–AlCl3 melt. The experience of the plant operation has shown that the elemental analysis of the melt for the content of K, Al, Zr, Hf is not enough to determine its operational properties. During the operation of the plant at various points of the technological scheme, the composition of the melt KCl–AlCl3–ZrCl4–HfCl4 was studied by a complex of independent methods using specially developed methods. The content of the phases ZrCl4, K2ZrCl6 and AlCl3 against the background of the matrix phase KAlCl4 was studied in frozen melts by X-ray diffractometry. The regularities of changes in the content of ZrCl4, AlCl3 and K2ZrCl6 according to the technological scheme of the installation are established. The content of the X-ray amorphous component, which contains up to 1.5 wt% aluminum and up to 3.5 wt% zirconium, has been established in frozen melts. By the method of reducing melting in the presence of carbon in frozen melts, the oxygen content of up to 1.8 wt% was determined, which is part of the X-ray amorphous component, presumably consisting of AlOCl and ZrOCl2. A method for determining the AlCl3/KCl ratio based on the difference in the physicochemical properties of the melt components has been developed. Based on the results obtained, the melt composition was adjusted during the operation of the zirconium and hafnium chloride separation unit at ChMP JSC.

Insight into energy release characteristics of TiH2 dust explosion through ignition experiments and molecular dynamic simulations

TiH2 is an efficient hydrogen storage material with high energy density and relatively stable chemical quality, which is commonly used in metal sponge production, hydrogen storage, battery technology, rocket propellants, etc. In this study, TiH2 dust explosion is systematically investigated by integrating ignition experiments with reactive force field molecular dynamics simulation. Findings show that when the TiH2 dust concentration is 750 g·m−3, both the explosion pressure and explosion pressure rise rate reach their maximum values under airtight and venting conditions. There are three stages in the whole combustion process: the combustion development stage, the stable combustion stage, and the decay stage. The flame length (L) and flame propagation velocity (v) grow with the increase of dust concentration. TiH2 dust explosion with different concentrations in macroscopic tests is approximated by simulating the combustion behaviors of the TiH2 system with different densities. The combustion reaction rate of TiH2 grows with an increase in system density, and the simulation results are consistent with experimental findings.

СОВЕРШЕНСТВОВАНИЕ ТЕХНОЛОГИИ ХЛЕБОБУЛОЧНЫХ ИЗДЕЛИЙ С ПОНИЖЕННЫМ СОДЕРЖАНИЕМ ГЛЮТЕНА

The purpose of the study is to improve technology and develop recipes for low-gluten types of bakery products based on whole grain flour using rye, low-fat flaxseed, amaranth flour and potato starch as gluten-free raw materials. The work provides a rationale for the need to reduce the gluten content in bakery products, studied the effect of the added components of the formulation on the content of washed gluten, identified options with a reduced amount of gluten, and assessed the quality of the studied options accor-ding to organoleptic and physicochemical indicators. The smallest amount of gluten was contained in dough made from whole grain flour with the addition of starch and amounted to only 7 %; in dough made from a mixture of whole grain and rye flour, this figure was already 16 %, which is 9–18 % lower than in wheat bread. In a comparison of straight and sponge methods for preparing dough from whole grain flour with the addition of gluten-free raw materials, preference was given to the sponge method, since it provi-ded better quality indicators by increasing the acidity of the finished dough when adding ripe dough. With the sponge production method, the humidity of the finished products increased slightly in comparison with the straight method. Thus, fluctuations in humidity for different options ranged from 43.6 to 41.2 % with the straight method and from 44.3 to 42.2 % with the sponge method. When assessing the organoleptic quality indicators of the finished bread, the best options were those with whole grain wheat and rye flour in a ratio of 60:40 and whole grain wheat and flax flour in a ratio of 90:10. The results of the study served as the basis for the development of recipes for types of whole grain bread with reduced gluten content using rye and low-fat flaxseed flour.

Zirconium sponge production: an integrated approach for chemical characterization of process intermediates using ICP-OES

Abstract The present paper discusses about the method developed for complete chemical characterization of Zirconium Washed and Dried Frit (WDF) and Reactor Grade ZrO2 powder which includes nonmetallic element sulphur using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES). Studies have been carried-out on several important aspects of method development such as effect of matrix on determination of analytes, removal of matrix using different solvents, selection of interference free & sensitive wavelengths, calibration strategies like internal standard & standard addition, optimization of several instrumental parameters which includes RF power, plasma gas flow, nebulizer gas flow, nitrogen purging etc., and are discussed. A % RSD of less than 1 % for Zr and up to 3 % for other elements has been achieved in this method. The developed method has been validated using standard recovery of spiked real time samples with known amount of reference materials. Integrated approach adopted in the development of this method has resulted in reduction of analytical waste generated and also enabled to give quick analytical feedback to production plant for downstream processing.

ANALISIS BREAK EVEN POINT SEBAGAI DASAR PERENCANAAN LABA PRODUK BOLU PISANG BLONDE PETAK PADA TOKO ROTI NEKO-NEKO BAKERY & CAKE CABANG PEMATANG SIANTAR

The objectives of this research are to determine out the picture of total sales, fixed costs, variable costs, selling prices, and break even points as a basis for profit planning for banana blonde sponge products plots and to find out the break even point analysis as a basis for profit planning for banana blonde plot sponge products. The research design used in this research is field research and literature research. The analytical techniques used in this study are quantitative descriptive analysis and inductive analysis. The types of data used are qualitative data and quantitative data. The data sources used in this study are primary data and secondary data. Data collection techniques are carried out by documentation and interview methods. The results of the research can be concluded as follows Break even point of banana blonde sponge product plots from 2017 to 2021 in units and the rupiah has increased. The level of margin of safety for banana blonde plot products from 2017 to 2021 has increased. Keywords: Break Even Point Analysis, Profit Planning

Effects of pomelo sponge fermented by Monascus ruber on cholesterol metabolism and intestinal microbiota in high-fat diet mice

The purpose of this study is to produce Monascus ruber fermented pomelo sponge products (MFPS) utilizing low-cost pomelo sponge as a solid-state fermentation substrate, and to investigate the effects of MFPS on cholesterol metabolism and gut microbiota in mice. The study of oral MFPS treatment in high-fat diet mice uncovered that a high dosage of MFPS effectively inhibited the increase of body weight, reduced the accumulation of liver and epididymal fat and improved blood cholesterol metabolism in mice. Interestingly, MFPS consumption enhanced the liver's antioxidant capacity, cleared free radicals. Furthermore, HE staining demonstrated that MFPS effectively repaired liver damage. UPLC-QTOF/MS analysis of liver metabolomics revealed that MFPS intervention exerts a substantial regulatory impact on metabolic pathways encompassing alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, steroid hormone biosynthesis, tryptophan metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, fatty acid degradation, folate biosynthesis, etc. High-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA unveiled that MFPS mitigated the intestinal microbiota imbalance triggered by a high-fat diet, increasing the abundance of probiotics in the intestine, including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Therefore, these findings demonstrate that MFPS can improve abnormal cholesterol metabolism and balance intestinal flora, offering valuable insights for developing natural and effective cholesterol-lowering products.

Repurposing the single-used-plastic for development of hydrophobic aerogels for remediation of oil spill and organic solvents

Currently, around 400 million tonnes of synthetic polymers are being dumped as waste annually and by this rate by 2050 the ocean would contain more such waste compared to the total weight of fish. As recycling could solve part of this problem, recently such waste is being reused for various purposes like composite preparation, oil production and various other use such as production of foams, sponges, and aerogels. However, there is a relatively limited literature available on the utilization of polyethylene polymer (like LDPE). The study presented in this article indicated that LDPE-based polymers could be reused (after modification) for preparation of hydrophobic, lightweight, and porous aerogels that have oil-spills and organic solvent adsorption capacity. The aerogels showed contact angle of 121.9o, bulk density below 0.25 g/cm3, and were found to be semi-crystalline. The aerogels showed oil and solvent adsorption more than that for their untreated counterparts. Also, the aerogels were found to be recycled for more than five cycles with very minimum loss of efficacy. This area of producing oil sorbents from single used plastic wastes is still very open for further research and seems to be a promising route for both waste reduction, and the synthesis of value-added products. This could be one of the most sustainable approaches for efficient single-used plastic wase management and environment clean-up.

Total Synthesis of Natural Products Dysideolide A and B

AbstractThe total synthesis of marine sponge products dysideolide A and B have been achieved in stereo controlled manner. The butenolide and pentenolide lactones are consisting of sensitive, α,β‐unsaturated cis‐olefin functional group and which was installed by Still‐Gennari olefination with ketone. The synthesis starts from D‐mannitol and D‐ribose respectively. Notable features of the synthesis are Z‐selective Still‐Gennari olefination, Pinnick oxidation and Shiina macrolactonization.

Purification of titanium sponge produced by lithiothermic reduction of titanium tetrachloride: Effect of leaching conditions

The CSIR-Ti process employs lithiothermic reduction of titanium tetrachloride feedstock to produce titanium sponge. The product is therefore contaminated by a range of lithium and chloride species. In this study we examine the effects of particle size, temperature, and HCl concentration as input leaching variables on the removal of chlorides from the crude titanium sponge. A review of the aqueous chloride chemistry of Li and Ti provided initial conditions for leaching of impurity species from the sponge. Experimental results confirm that the effectiveness of leaching and removal of dissolved impurities from the sponge are dependent on leaching kinetics, which are influenced by temperature, particle size, and morphology. Of the variables tested, reaction temperature had the strongest influence on the oxygen content of the leached product. The HCl lixiviant concentration had a negligible effect under the conditions tested. Leaching of crude titanium sponge (-10 mm size fraction after crushing) at 14°C in either 1 M or 0.032 M HCl yielded a titanium sponge product that met the ASTM standard specification for commercially pure Grade 1 titanium, i.e., oxygen content < 0.18 mass% and chloride content < 0.15 mass%.

Republication: In Vitro and Ex Vivo Analysis of Collagen Foams for Soft and Hard Tissue Regeneration.

The aim of this study was the conception, production, material analysis and cytocompatibility analysis of a new collagen foam for medical applications. After the innovative production of various collagen sponges from bovine sources, the foams were analyzed ex vivo in terms of their structure (including pore size) and in vitro in terms of cytocompatibility according to EN ISO 10993-5/-12. In vitro, the collagen foams were compared with the established biomaterials cerabone and Jason membrane. Materials cerabone and Jason membrane. Collagen foams with different compositions were successfully produced from bovine sources. Ex vivo, the foams showed a stable and long-lasting primary structure quality with a bubble area of 1,000 to 2,000 μm2 In vitro, all foams showed sufficient cytocompatibility. Collagen sponges represent a promising material for hard and soft tissue regeneration. Future studies could focus on integrating and investigating different additives in the foams.

Large-scale mariculture of the sponge Haliclona simulans on floating rafts in Zhao'an Bay, Fujian Province, China

Marine sponges are an important source of bioactive products and biomaterials. However, there is a bottleneck of biomass supply for sponge utilization. To overcome this bottleneck, mariculture was considered to be the most viable solution. Mariculture of the marine sponge Haliclona simulans was conducted on floating rafts in Zhao'an Bay, Fujian Province, China. The explants were suspended 0.5–2 m below the water surface to grow naturally using the mesh method. Two independent trials with different scales were performed in this study. In a small-scale trial with 30 sponge explants, with daily maintenance, the survival rate of H. simulans was 93.3% over 224 days. To determine whether harvesting twice yearly yields greater output than annual harvesting, the 30 H. simulans were randomly divided into two equivalent groups. The annual harvest group (1 harvest per year, 1PY) was harvested in 224 days, and the twice harvest groups (2 harvest per year, 2PY) were harvested at 92 days and 224 days, with approximately 30% of the biomass was retained during the first harvest to allow regrowth. The results showed that the total biomass accumulation rate was 629.27 ± 256.74% for the 1PY group and 1014.73 ± 252.56% for the 2PY group. The biomass accumulation rate of 2PY was approximately 61.26% higher than that of 1PY. To obtain more accurate yield data under industry scale, a large-scale mariculture was independently conducted with about 7500 explants and covered a sea area about 500 m2, in which each area of 0.2 m2 was occupied by a horizontal rope, and each rope held 3 vertically suspended explants. Lost or dead explants were replanted during routine maintenance. A total of 330 kg wet weight biomass was obtained from the first harvest after 92 days of cultivation, and 272 kg wet weight biomass was obtained from the second harvest after 224 days. A total of 45.05 kg dry weight sponge was obtained after drying. This finding indicates that under our mariculture methods and harvesting strategy, the yield of H. simulans can reach approximately 900 kg dry weight biomass per hectare per year. This research provides valuable data for large-scale sponge production and new methods for the industrial development of sponge products.

Dynamic material flow analysis of titanium sponge in China: 2000–2019

Titanium is vital to daily life and national security. And titanium sponge is the most important raw material in the production of titanium industry. Therefore, understanding the material cycle flow of titanium sponge in China can help to understand the future use of titanium at global and national levels. This paper traces titanium sponge flows, stocks, and loss in China using dynamic material flow analysis from a life cycle perspective from 2000 to 2019. Combined with the analysis of Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) scenarios, we forecast potential changes characteristics of titanium sponge demand in the future. We find that firstly, due to the difficulty of critical technologies in the production of aviation-grade titanium sponge, more than 70% of high-quality titanium sponge is heavily dependent on imports. Secondly, many middle to low-end fields use titanium materials, and the social stock in the chemical industry is relatively large, accounting for 47%. As China's economic development rate increases, the demand for titanium sponge may increase by 150%–250% from 2020 to 2060. In addition, the demand for middle to high-end areas will be a crucial area in the future. Relevant policy measures should pay more attention to the production, processing, and recycling stages of titanium sponge to promote the healthy and sustainable development of titanium sponge in the future. Notably, the scenario results reveal key opportunities and demand trends for developing titanium sponge in the future. It is extremely important to the Chinese and global titanium industry.

ANALISA NILAI GIZI DAN UJI ORGANOLEPTIK BOLU PEPAYA SEBAGAI ALTERNATIF MAKANAN SELINGAN PADA HIPERKOLESTEROLEMIA

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2018, it was recorded that people with high cholesterol in Indonesia increased every year by 28%, this number is likely to increase to 29.25 in 2025. Papaya fruit is rich in nutrition, contains high fiber and antioxidants. Papaya fruit will be processed into sponge, which is a very popular food as a snack for hypercholesterolemia. The purpose of the study was to know the average value of the color, aroma, texture, taste of the sponge and to know the value of the fiber content of the best sponge. The method used in this study is an experiment using a Completely Randomized Design method consisting of four treatments and two replications. Treatment A (25 grams of papaya), treatment B (50 grams of papaya), treatment C (75 grams of papaya) and treatment D (100 grams of papaya). This research was conducted in July 2021. Sampling was carried out at the researcher's house, while organoleptic tests were carried out at the Perintis Indonesia University campus and the fiber content inspection site at Baristand (Industrial Research and Standardization Center Padang). Based on the results of the organoleptic test, it showed that the panelists' assessment of the papaya sponge product had a very significant effect on the color, aroma, texture, and taste of the papaya sponge. Based on the panelists' assessment, treatment A (pawpaw 25 grams) was the best product, namely color 4.3; fragrance 4.56; texture 4.42 and taste 4.72 with the highest average value of 18. Treatment A contained fiber content of 5.53 with a weight of 50 grams of papaya sponge. In this study it can be concluded that the best papaya sponge is treatment A, the best papaya cake contains fiber content which is very beneficial for hypercholesterolemic patients so that it can meet fiber levels per person in a day.

Economic analysis of graphene aerogel polyurethane sponge production as adsorbent for oil-water separation

In this study, economic feasibility of graphene aerogel polyurethane sponge (GAPU) production as an adsorbent for oil-water separation was investigated. GAPU has been made from graphite and it was further oxidized by the modified Hummers method to form graphene oxide (GO) or it was reduced to form reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The rGO was blended with polyurethane (PU) sponge and this rGO-PU composite was freeze-dried into an aerogel to change their shapes. This study was aimed to determine the economic parameters based on the scenarios of GAPU production being 547, 6,000, and 12,000 tons per year. The first scenario with a selling price of US$ 9.79/kg showed the net present value (NPV) of US$ 1,241,083.23, break event point (BEP) of 44.21%, internal rate of return (IRR) of 8.62%, and payback period (PBP) of 6.48 years. For the second scenario, the selling price is of US$ 2.62/Kg, NPV is US$ 10,075,984.08, BEP is 33.01%, IRR is 33.37%, and PBP is 2.21 years. The third scenario with an estimated selling price of US$ 2.05/Kg showed an NPV of US$ 17,039,863.70, BEP of 27.10%, IRR of 40.60%, and PBP of 2.19 years. The third scenario with GAPU production of 12,000 tons is the best. Sensitivity analysis showed that the selling price of the product decreases by 10% is more unfavorable to the economic value than the price of raw materials increased by 10%. GAPU gets a cheaper selling price than other methods with provided that the economic value is fullfilled when NPV is positive, BEP is less than 50%, and IRR is higher than 15%, and the removed oil can be reused and potential for sale. Finally, it can be concluded that the production of GAPU is feasible.

Strategi Komunikasi Pemasaran Pada UMKM Magetan Bamboo Craft di Kabupaten Magetan dalam Mengembangkan Usahanya

Magetan Regency is the second smallest Regency in East Java after Sidoarjo with a location at the westernmost tip of East Java, making this regency rarely visited by tourists. In Magetan Regency, there is a lot of potential that can be developed, one of which is in the field of developing Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), namely Magetan Bamboo Craft. This article aims to increase sales, expand the market share of the creative business of craft home industry in Magetan Regency where often at exhibitions abroad or at the national level there is a good response, but on the way there are still many who do not know about sponge products. this. One of the integrated marketing strategies is to introduce products to the public or the public. The use of brochures, leaflets, leaflets and the use of internet technology is often an option for MSME actors because they are considered efficient without having to spend a lot of money. So far, the marketing of Magetan Bamboo Craft is only limited to orders from consumers, co-workers, guests from the district, individuals and families as well as friends who are known by the owner of the craft business. The marketing communication strategies carried out in this study include providing training in the creation of content and brochures, as well as the use of internet usage such as the use of social media Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook as well as websites as an effort to maximize the means of disseminating information and product marketing. In addition, the provision of socialization is useful as an understanding for SMEs owners of Sponge Bread in order to understand the concept of integrated communication marketing and its application. If these two things (training on making brochures and blogs as well as socialization) have been carried out, then the author just needs to provide assistance and open a consultation session regarding the development and changes in marketing attitudes in the future. To obtain data, this research uses the deep interview method or in-depth interviews with the MSME Cooperative Office of Magetan Regency.

3-D Culture of Marine Sponge Cells for Production of Bioactive Compounds.

Production of sponge-derived bioactive compounds in vitro has been proposed as an alternative to wild harvest, aquaculture, and chemical synthesis to meet the demands of clinical drug development and manufacture. Until recently, this was not possible because there were no marine invertebrate cell lines. Recent breakthroughs in the development of sponge cell lines and rapid cell division in improved nutrient media now make this approach a viable option. We hypothesized that three-dimensional (3-D) cell cultures would better represent how sponges function in nature, including the production of bioactive compounds. We successfully cultured sponge cells in 3-D matrices using FibraCel® disks, thin hydrogel layers, and gel microdroplets (GMDs). For in vitro production of bioactive compounds, the use of GMDs is recommended. Nutrients and sponge products rapidly diffuse into and out of the 3-D matrix, the GMDs may be scaled up in spinner flasks, and cells and/or secreted products can be easily recovered. Research on scale-up and production is in progress in our laboratory.

Quantifying Heat Transfer Characteristics of the Kroll Reactor in Titanium Sponge Production

Various reactors with different sizes have been widely used for the production of titanium sponge in the Kroll process. But the further commercialization of the forced heat transfer design of the Kroll reactor is limited by lack of standard parameter to evaluate its convective heat transfer characteristics. This work proposes to evaluate and compare the Kroll reactor with the dimensionless Nusselt number. The results shown that the heat transfer coefficients for both surfaces increase with the volume flow rate of cooling air for each dimensionless temperature, and the heat transfer coefficients of the external surface of the reactor are higher than that of the internal surface of the heater. And new correlations regarding the Nusselt number between the cooling air and the external surface of the reactor or the internal surface of the heater are obtained based on experimental data, while the characteristics of the cooling air, equipment and operation parameters are considered.