Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Research Articles

Graphite nanosheets exfoliated by supercritical carbon dioxide for aluminium-ion battery

Aluminium-ion batteries (AIBs), using commercial graphite as cathodes, stand out as promising secondary energy-storage devices for industrial application. While exfoliating graphite to graphite nanosheets holds substantial theoretical potential for significantly enhancing AIB performance, traditional redox strategies have the drawback of introducing defects and functional groups. In this work, graphite nanosheets exfoliated by supercritical carbon dioxide (GNS-20) were explored for high-performance AIB cathodes. Electrochemical tests showed that the specific capacity of GNS-20 for an AIB cathode was 152 mAh/g at a current density of 4 A/g during 1000 cycles, which was 1.9 times higher than that of natural graphite and 1.47 times higher than that of defect-rich reduced graphene oxide. Further, the regulation of the interlayer pore structure of GNS-20 proved instrumental in enhancing its AIB performance. Modulating the porosity of graphite nanosheets by adjusting the exfoliation pressure had a significant impact. The porosity of graphite nanosheets at an exfoliation pressure of 20 MPa was 86.7%, while the porosity at 15 MPa was 71.5% and that at 10 MPa was 69.7%, the latter two corresponding to capacities of 117 and 99 mAh/g (4 A/g), respectively. This approach simplifies the process and aligns with environmental principles, offering significant potential for various graphite nanosheet applications.

Effects of temperature and pressure on volatile compounds of black cumin seeds (Nigella sativa L.) oil extracted by supercritical carbon dioxide

AbstractThis study investigated the effects of temperature and pressure on the yield and volatile compound contents of black cumin seed oil (BCO) extracted from black cumin seeds using supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO2). The solubility of BCO in SCCO2 increased 2.5‐fold as the pressure increased by 10 MPa. Major volatile compounds in BCO were identified using a static headspace gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (SH–GC–MS). Evidence indicated the main volatile components in SCCO2‐extracted BCO to be hexanal, p‐cymene, and thymoquinone. BCO extracted from China‐cultivated black cumin seed contained similar amounts of p‐cymene and thymoquinone. This black cumin seed is classified as the cymene/thymoquinone chemotype and is also found in Indian, Iranian, and Algerian black cumin seeds. Thymoquinone contents in BCO were more sensitive to the extraction temperature than hexanal and p‐cymene contents. The maximum oil yield of 36.28 ± 1.38 wt%, with approximately 2.0 mg of thymoquinone per milliliter of oil, was obtained at extraction temperatures of 50°C and pressures of 30 MPa. A SH–GC–MS could detect small molecules in black cumin seed oil such as hexanal. The results of this work reveal that temperature has more impact on the selectivity of volatile compounds than pressure in supercritical carbon dioxide extraction.

Supercritical CO2-Assisted Electroless Plating of Ultrahigh-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene Filaments for Weavable Device Application

This study reports on the use of supercritical CO2 (scCO2) for the metallization of ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) filaments, which are used as functional components in weavable devices. UHMW-PE is well known for its chemical and impact resistance, making it suitable for use in bulletproof clothing and shields. However, its chemical resistance poses a challenge for metallization. By utilizing scCO2 as the solvent in the catalyzation process, a uniform and defect-free layer of Ni-P is successfully deposited on the UHMW-PE filaments. The deposition rate of Ni-P is enhanced at higher temperatures during the scCO2 catalyzation. Importantly, the durability of the Ni-P-metalized UHMW-PE filaments is improved when the scCO2 catalyzation is carried out at 120 °C, as evidenced by minimal changes in electrical resistivity after a rolling test.

Supercritical fluid extraction of piquiá (Caryocar villosum (Aubl.) Pers.) pulp: Influence of operating conditions on yield, α-tocopherol content and extract characterization

Caryocar villosum (Aubl.) Pers. is a fruit native to the Amazon region, popularly known as piquiá. The supercritical extraction process of piquiá pulp was investigated in this work, considering the influence of temperature, pressure and solvent density on the extraction yield. The quality of the extract was evaluated in terms of fatty acid profile, functional quality indices, physicochemical characterization and α-tocopherol content. The extraction yield resulted to be greater with increasing pressure in each isotherm. The highest extraction yield was 62.74 %, while the lowest was 44.01 %. The main fatty acids observed in the extracts obtained under all operating conditions were oleic and palmitic. The results indicated that piquiá extract obtained via supercritical CO2 presents itself as a potential product to be explored for applications in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries due to its composition and functional quality.

Green Foaming of Biologically Extracted Chitin Hydrogels Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide for Scaffolding of Human Osteoblasts.

Chitin is a structural polysaccharide abundant in the biosphere. Chitin possesses a highly ordered crystalline structure that makes its processing a challenge. In this study, chitin hydrogels and methanogels, prepared by dissolution in calcium chloride/methanol, were subjected to supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) to produce porous materials for use as scaffolds for osteoblasts. The control of the morphology, porosity, and physicochemical properties of the produced materials was performed according to the operational conditions, as well as the co-solvent addition. The dissolution of CO2 in methanol co-solvent improved the sorption of the compressed fluid into the hydrogel, rendering highly porous chitin scaffolds. The chitin crystallinity index significantly decreased after processing the hydrogel in supercritical conditions, with a significant effect on its swelling capacity. The use of scCO2 with methanol co-solvent resulted in chitin scaffolds with characteristics adequate to the adhesion and proliferation of osteoblasts.

Experimental measurement and thermodynamic/intelligent modeling of yellow 2 G solubility in supercritical carbon dioxide with/without co-solvent

In this study, the solubility of an azo dye, Yellow 2 G, was investigated in supercritical CO2, both with and without co-solvents (methanol and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)), spanning temperatures from 308 to 338 K and pressures from 10 to 34 MPa. The supercritical solubility of Yellow 2 G ranged from 0.052×10−6 to 0.559×10−6 mole fractions, while in the presence of methanol and DMSO, it varied from 0.5×10−6 to 5.92×10−6 and 0.46×10−6 to 4.6×10−6, respectively. Co-solvents significantly increased supercritical solubility, with over a 9-fold increase with methanol and more than a 7-fold increase with DMSO. Semi-empirical models, Peng-Robinson (PR), Soave Redlich Kwong (SRK), Perturbed-Chain Statistical Associating Fluid (PCP-SAFT), and quadrupolar cubic plus association theory (qCPA) equations of state, and a multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network were used to assess the solubility data. Among the semi-empirical models, the Khansary model for the binary system and the Jouyban and Soltani-Mazloumi models for the ternary system demonstrated the highest conformity. Among models based on equations of state, the PCP-SAFT model demonstrates the highest accuracy in correlating solubility data for both binary and ternary systems. Notably, the accuracy of the SRK model in correlating solubility data for the binary system matches that of PCP-SAFT. The proposed MLP neural network provided highly accurate estimations of Yellow 2 G solubility in both binary and ternary systems, achieving an accuracy of over 99 %.

2-Benzylsulfanyl-1H-benzimidazole and its mixture as highly efficient corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel under dynamic supercritical CO2 flow conditions

2-Benzylsulfanyl-1H-benzimidazole(2B1BI) was synthesized and used to inhibit the corrosion of carbon steel in supercritical CO2 brine at various rotation speeds. Thiourea (TU) can improve the inhibition of 2B1BI. The corrosion inhibition mechanism and adsorption process were investigated by electrochemical techniques and theoretical calculations. The results show that 2B1BI-TU mixed corrosion inhibitors exhibit increased adsorption with strong bonds on steel, forming a denser and more persistent protective film. This film can effectively inhibit corrosive particles, slowing down both general and localized corrosion. This study explores the potential of the new inhibitor as an efficient corrosion inhibitor in challenging environmental conditions.

Flow mixing and heat transfer deterioration investigation of supercritical carbon dioxide in wire-wrapped bundles

As one selection of the fourth-generation reactors, the gas cooled reactor has received enormous attention such as high power conversion efficiency and simple cycle layout. In this paper, the flow mixing and heat transfer characteristics of supercritical carbon dioxide within a seven-pin wire-wrapped bundle were investigated. Due to the lack of more experiments data of velocity field, two experiments were selected to validate the uncertainty of different turbulence models from the view of temperature field. The analysis of mass exchange between different subchannels revealed that coolant flows consistently in a certain direction in edge and corner subchannels, whereas in center subchannels, the cross flow changes direction periodically. The mixing coefficients at three types of subchannel interfaces were fitted by a sine function with the R2 values are all greater than 0.96. For different mass flux and pressures, the root mean square error between correlations and simulations was less than 1 × 10-3, except when Re equals 15000. Additionally, the heat transfer deterioration of SCO2 was observed. While wire spacers can mitigate the extent of heat transfer deterioration, they cannot completely eliminate it. The Performance Evaluation Criterion (PEC) was introduced to assess the effectiveness of wire spacers in enhancing heat transfer. The results indicate that the PEC exceed unity, meaning that the enhanced heat transfer capability outweighs the additional resistance loss caused by wire spacers. With increasing pressure, the PEC decreases but remains greater than unity. The mixing of coolant between different subchannel induced by wire spacers can reduce the wall temperature of rods at the edge of the bundle. However, the seven-pin wire-wrapped bundle was investigated in this work, and the results may not accurately reflect the flow and heat transfer inside a real reactor rod bundle. In the future, a larger scale rod bundle should be conducted to obtain more universally applicable and realistic flow and heat transfer phenomenon for reactor assembly design.

Theoretical Analysis on Thermodynamic and Economic Performance Improvement in a Supercritical CO2 Cycle by Integrating with Two Novel Double-Effect Absorption Reheat Power Cycles

Theoretical Analysis on Thermodynamic and Economic Performance Improvement in a Supercritical CO2 Cycle by Integrating with Two Novel Double-Effect Absorption Reheat Power Cycles

Dynamic performance and control analysis of supercritical CO2 brayton cycle for solid oxide fuel cell waste heat recovery

Due to the high-temperature operation of solid oxide fuel cell, recovering its exhaust waste heat is worthwhile. The supercritical CO2 cycle features low compression power consumption and high thermal efficiency, making it a promising power cycle. Therefore, this paper adopts the supercritical CO2 recompression cycle as the bottom cycle, combined with solid oxide fuel cell to form a joint system, further improving energy utilization. Given the long temperature response time of the solid oxide fuel cell and the variability of its exhaust waste heat with load changes, this paper innovatively proposes establishing an integrated dynamic model of the joint system, instead of directly providing heat source flow and temperature changes as in traditional research, to more accurately study the dynamic response of the cycle during solid oxide fuel cell startup and load variations. Based on this, a control strategy utilizing inventory control is proposed, and the feasibility of the control effect is verified. The research results indicate that the uncontrolled cycle may lead to safety issues with a significant increase in turbine inlet temperature when solid oxide fuel cell load increases. Under the control strategy, the turbine inlet temperature and main compressor inlet temperature are rapidly stabilized at the target values. The controlled cycle achieves higher efficiency compared to the uncontrolled cycle, particularly prominent during solid oxide fuel cell load reduction, with an efficiency increase of approximately 5.23%.

Efficient Alcoholysis of Poly(ethylene terephthalate) by Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide as a Green Solvent.

In order to reduce the environmental impact of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) plastic waste, supercritical fluids were used to facilitate effective recovery via improved solvent effects. This work focuses on the mechanisms of supercritical CO2 (ScCO2) during the alcoholysis processing of PET using systematic experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The results of the alcoholysis experiment indicated that PET chips can be completely depolymerized within only an hour at 473 K assisted with ScCO2 at an optimal molar ratio of CO2/ethanol of 0.2. Random scission of PET dominates the early stage of the depolymerization reaction process, while specific scission dominates the following stage. Correspondingly, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations revealed that the solubilization and self-diffusion properties of ScCO2 facilitate the transportation of alcohol molecules into the bulk phase of PET, which leads to an accelerated diffusion of both oligomers and small molecules in the system. However, the presence of excessive CO2 has a negative impact on depolymerization by weakening the hydrogen bonding between polyester chain segments and ethanol, as well as decreasing the swelling degree of PET. These data provide a deep understanding of PET degradation by alcohols and the enhancement of ScCO2. It should be expected to achieve an efficient and high-yield depolymerization process of wasted polyesters assisted with ScCO2 at a relatively low temperature.

Experimental investigation into coal wettability changes caused by reactions with scCO2-H2O

Geological CO2 sequestration (GCS) can help mitigate global warming and enhance methane recovery from coal beds. However, few studies have linked the effects of CO2 to surface chemistry changes controlling wetting behavior in deep coal beds. Contact angles (CAs) of CO2/N2-high volatile bituminous coal-water systems were measured under different temperatures and pressures. The surface chemistry and physical structure of coals were characterized to investigate changes in physicochemical properties and their relations with wettability after reactions. For N2 treatment, the time-dependence of static and dynamic CAs were insignificant, ranging within 4°. For gaseous CO2 treatment, the static CAs and the average advancing angles increased slightly. With supercritical (sc) CO2, both the static and dynamic CAs increased significantly, and θadv changed to intermediate-wet (92°). Reactions with minerals exposed to scCO2 resulted in greater surface roughness and heterogeneity, greater contact angle hysteresis and more surface sites occupied by scCO2 rather than H2O. Increases in hydrophobic functional groups and decreases in hydrophilicity were shown by FTIR spectra, reflecting the shedding of polar oxygen-containing functional groups, reduction of hydrogen bonds, and increasing percentage of hydrocarbons. XRD patterns obtained following scCO2-treatment showed that crystallite growth and molecular polymerization were higher toward graphite-like. The calculated structural parameters of functional groups and crystallites both showed elevated coal rank. Changes in crystallite structure, notably higher carbon content and decreased negative surface charge, are unfavorable for water-wetting. This study contributes to understanding surface chemistry changes responsible for decreased wettability during CO2-enhanced coal bed methane recovery and GCS in coal reservoirs.

Supercritical CO2 Extraction of Terpenoids from Indocalamus latifolius Leaves: Optimization, Purification, and Antioxidant Activity.

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of supercritical CO2 (SC-CO2) extraction in enhancing the extraction rate, purity, and antioxidant activity of Indocalamus latifolius (Keng) McClure (Poaceae) leaf terpenoids (ILLTs). Crude extracts obtained from leaves were subjected to qualitative and quantitative analyses, revealing neophytadiene, phytol, β-sitosterol, β-amyrone, squalene, and friedelin as the primary terpenoid constituents, identified through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Compared with steam distillation extraction (SD), simultaneous distillation extraction (SDE), ultra-high pressure-assisted n-hexane extraction (UHPE-Hex), ultra-high pressure-assisted ethanol extraction (UHPE-EtOH), ultrasound-assisted n-hexane extraction (UE-Hex), and ultrasound-assisted ethanol extraction (UE-EtOH), SC-CO2 exhibited a superior ILLT extraction rate, purity, and antioxidant activity. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations of the residues further revealed more severe damage to both the residues and their cell walls after SC-CO2 extraction. Under optimal parameters (4.5 h, 26 MPa, 39 °C, and 20% ethyl alcohol), the ILLT extraction rate with SC-CO2 reached 1.44 ± 0.12 mg/g, which was significantly higher than the rates obtained by the other six methods. The subsequent separation and purification using WelFlash C18-l, BUCHI-C18, and Sephadex LH-20 led to an increase in the purity of the six terpenoid components from 12.91% to 93.34%. Furthermore, the ILLTs demonstrated cytotoxicity against HepG2 cells with an IC50 value of 148.93 ± 9.93 μg/mL. Additionally, with increasing concentrations, the ILLTs exhibited an enhanced cellular antioxidant status, as evidenced by reductions in both reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels.

Wet Extraction of By-Product Samples and Fractionation of Valuable Compounds using Supercritical CO2 Extraction: An Innovative Approach for Sustainable Resource Utilization

This research explores an innovative method for extracting and fractionating valuable compounds from by-product samples through the utilization of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extraction. By-products generated from various industrial processes often contain untapped reservoirs of valuable compounds, necessitating environmentally sustainable and economically viable extraction techniques. SC-CO2 extraction, known for its unique properties such as low toxicity, non-flammability, and tunable solubility, presents a promising avenue for efficient and selective extraction of target compounds.The study focuses on wet extraction, emphasizing the extraction of valuable compounds from by-products in their natural, moisture-laden state. This approach not only enhances the sustainability of the extraction process by minimizing pre-treatment steps but also broadens the scope of potential target compounds. The study further explores the critical parameters of SC-CO2 extraction, including pressure, temperature, and flow rate, to optimize the extraction efficiency and selectivity for different classes of compounds.

Optimization of Antifungal Properties of Hop Cone Carbon Dioxide Extracts Based on Response Surface Methodology.

Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the process parameters of the supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of hop cones in terms of their antifungal properties against Fusarium culmorum and Aspergillus niger. The effects of temperature (40-50 °C), pressure (200-300 bar), and CO2 consumption (25-75 kgCO2/kg) on the extraction yield, content of α- and β-acids, as well as pathogens' growth inhibition were investigated. Both pressure and CO2 consumption had a significant effect on antifungal properties. It was observed that the best results for antifungal properties were obtained when hop cones were extracted with pure carbon dioxide at the temperature of 50 °C, under the pressure of 300 bar with CO2 consumption at the level of 75 kgCO2/kg of feed for extraction. The highest antifungal properties of hop cone supercritical carbon dioxide extracts were analyzed as 100% for Fusarium culmorum and 68% for Aspergillus niger, calculated as the growth inhibition of tested pathogens. The aim of the study was to determine the optimum values of extraction parameters to achieve the maximum response and enable us to investigate the interaction of these parameters on the antifungal properties of hop cone extracts.

Experimental Investigation of the Impact of CO2 Injection Strategies on Rock Wettability Alteration for CCS Applications

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) has been recognized as a pivotal technology for mitigating climate change by reducing CO2 emissions. Storing CO2 in deep saline aquifers requires preserving the water-wet nature of the formation throughout the storage period, which is crucial for maintaining rock integrity and storage efficiency. However, the wettability of formations can change upon exposure to supercritical CO2 (scCO2), potentially compromising storage efficiency. Despite extensive studies on various factors influencing wettability alteration, a significant research gap remains in understanding the effects of different CO2 injection strategies on wettability in deep saline formations (DSFs). This study addresses this gap by investigating how three distinct CO2 injection strategies—continuous scCO2 injection (CCI), water alternating with scCO2 injection (WAG), and simultaneous water and scCO2 injection (SAI)—affect the wettability of gray Berea sandstone and Indiana limestone, both selected for their homogeneous properties relevant to CCS. Using a standardized sessile drop contact angle method before and after CO2 injection, along with core flooding to model the injection process at an injection pressure of 1500 psi and temperature of 100 °F with a confining pressure of 2500 psi, the results indicate a shift in wettability towards more CO2-wet conditions for both rock types under all strategies with changes in CA of 61.6–83.4° and 77.6–87.9° and 81.5–124.2° and 94.6–128.0° for sandstone and limestone, respectively. However, the degree of change varies depending on the injection strategy: sandstone exhibits a pronounced response to the CCI strategy, with up to a 77% increase in contact angle (CA), particularly after extended exposure. At the same time, WAG shows the least change, suggesting that water introduction slows surface modification. For limestone, the changes in CA ranged from 9% to 49% across strategies, with WAG and SAI being more effective in altering its wettability. This study underscores the importance of selecting suitable CO2 injection strategies based on rock type and wettability characteristics to maximize carbon storage efficiency. The findings offer valuable insights into the complex interactions of fluid–rock systems and a guide for enhancing the design and implementation of CCS technologies in various geological settings.

Molecular Dynamics Simulation on Thickening and Solubility Properties of Novel Thickener in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide.

Supercritical CO2 has wide application in enhancing oil recovery, but the low viscosity of liquid CO2 can lead to issues such as poor proppant-carrying ability and high filtration loss. Therefore, the addition of thickening agents to CO2 is vital. Hydrocarbon polymers, as a class of green and sustainable materials, hold tremendous potential for acting as thickeners in supercritical CO2 systems, and PVAc is one of the best-performing hydrocarbon thickeners. To further improve the viscosity enhancement and solubility of PVAc, here we designed a novel polymer structure, PVAO, by introducing CO2-affine functional groups to PVAc. Molecular dynamics simulations were adopted to analyze viscosity and relevant solubility parameters systematically. We found that PVAO exhibits superior performance, with a viscosity enhancement of 1.5 times that of PVAc in supercritical CO2. While in the meantime, PVAO maintains better solubility characteristics than PVAc. Our findings offer insights for the future design of other high-performance polymers.

Performance analysis of combining solid oxide electrolysis cell hydrogen production and marine hydrogen compressed natural gas engine system

Natural gas holds promise as an alternative energy source for ships, and its combustion blended with hydrogen can achieve better beneficial of energy saving and emission reduction. Nevertheless, the current challenges in hydrogen, characterized by its high cost and difficulties in storage and transportation, hinder its application in maritime technology. To address the issue, this study proposes a system that integrates a marine hydrogen compressed natural gas (HCNG) engine, a supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle (SCBC), and a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC). In this system, SCBC is capable of recovering waste heat for electricity generation, while SOEC serves as an energy storage device to adjust engine load and enhance fuel economy. The generated hydrogen can be utilized as a source of hydrogen in HCNG fuel, thereby improving engine performance and reducing pollutant emissions. Various system numerical simulation schemes with different engine hydrogen volume fractions were studied. The results show that the electrical efficiency of SOEC is improved by 17.86% by heating the feed stream with engine exhaust gas. In addition, the hydrogen fraction in which SOEC can act as a complete hydrogen source ranges from 30% to 40%. The results of the sensitivity analysis show that the cycle efficiency reaches a peak of 31.5% at a compressor outlet pressure of 16 MPa, while the efficiency of the whole system reaches a maximum of 50.8% at 21 MPa. The optimal operating temperature for the SOEC falls within the range of 650–700 °C for the 30, 40 HCNG schemes, and between 750 and 800 °C for the 50, 60 HCNG schemes.

Factors affecting the quality of supercritical carbon dioxide extract from Curcuma longa Linn in Thailand: Antioxidant and lipid composition

In this study, we examine the extraction factors affecting the quality of supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO2) extract of Curcuma longa Linn from Thailand, as well as the antioxidant and lipid composition. Temperature, pressure, extraction time, and moisture content in the turmeric sample all play crucial roles in the SCCO2 extraction. Higher temperatures and pressures lead to increased extraction yields. When using the SCCO2 technique with dry turmeric at a temperature of 32 °C, a pressure of 160 bar, and an extraction duration of 120 min, we achieved an extraction yield of 5.88 ± 1.09 %. The total phenolic content reached its peak, measuring 155.00 ± 0.81 mg GAE/g extract. The antioxidant activity, assessed using the DPPH radical scavenging activity method, displayed the most favorable results, with an IC50 of 1.34 ± 0.49 mg/mL. Furthermore, the dry turmeric samples contained a significant quantity of curcumin, namely 4.65 mg/L. Additionally, the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of the dry turmeric extract exceeded that of the fresh samples, measuring 322.19 ± 1.50 and 79.13 ± 1.42 mg FeSO4/g extract, respectively. These results highlight dry turmeric extracts as rich sources of monounsaturated fatty acids, constituting 64.14 % of the content, with the highest concentration for cis-10-heptadecenoic acid (17:1) at 51.45 %.

In vitro digestion of starch and protein aerogels generated from defatted rice bran via supercritical carbon dioxide drying

This study investigated the in vitro digestibility of starch and protein aerogels produced from defatted rice bran (DRB), an underutilized rice processing byproduct, using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) drying. The extracted starch (i.e., purified starch), crude starch, and proteins were used for the aerogel formation at 15% (w/w) concentration and further characterized. All aerogels exhibited three-dimensional open porous structures with high surface areas of 36–47 m2/g, densities lower than 0.3 g/cm3, and porosities higher than 84%. The starch hydrolyses in starch and crude starch aerogels were 86 and 73%, respectively, while the protein hydrolysis in protein aerogels reached up to 82% after sequential oral, gastric, and intestinal digestion. Thus, the hydrolysis rates achieved in simulated digestions suggest that the developed aerogels from DRB have the potential to serve as vehicles for delivering bioactive compounds and add value to the underutilized DRB.