Hot Water Treatment Research Articles

Enhancing biobutanol production by optimizing acetone-butanol-ethanol fermentation from sorghum grains through strategic immobilization of amylolytic enzymes.

Tannin-containing sorghum grains, suitable for acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) production by Clostridium acetobutylicum, have required pretreatment to eliminate tannins inhibiting the strain's amylolytic activity. This study investigates biobutanol production enhancement by immobilizing enzymes on polydopamine-functionalized polyethersulfone (PES) membranes with magnetic nanoparticles for Separated Hydrolysis and Fermentation (SHF) and Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) processes. After multi-stage hot water treatment, TG3 sorghum (from the third stage) was used, where the enzyme-immobilized PES membrane produced 4.75g/L of ABE (3.24g/L butanol) under SSF, 0.85g/L under SHF, and 1.1g/L under simple fermentation. For TG6 (from the sixth stage), 3.23, 1.29, and 1.25g/L of ABE was produced under SSF, SHF, and simple fermentation, respectively. This enhanced performance is due to the reduced enzyme inhibition. Reusability experiments showed that the membrane retained 30% of initial activity after three cycles. These findings suggest that enzyme-immobilized membranes can intensify ABE production and enable integrated cell recovery.

Predicting Color Development and Texture Changes in Tomatoes Treated With Hot Water and Exposed to High-Temperature Ethylene Using Support Vector Regression.

This study investigated the impacts of hot water treatment (HWT) at 50°C or 25°C for 5 min and high-temperature ethylene (HTE) exposure at varying temperatures (20°C, 30°C, or 35°C) and durations (24, 48, or 72 h) on the postharvest quality and antioxidant properties of mature green tomatoes (MG). Color changes, physicochemical characteristics, antioxidant compounds, and overall antioxidant ability were assessed. HWT increased β-carotene levels and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) while preserving color metrics, despite later HTE exposure. Exposure to HTE delayed ripening, increased titratable acidity, and reduced dry matter content. The effects on antioxidant compounds varied depending on temperature and duration of exposure. A support vector regression (SVR) model predicted color parameters with high performance (R2 > 0.85) for lightness (L*), greenness-redness (a*), blueness-yellowness (b*), chroma, and hue values. The findings highlight the potential of HWT in postharvest quality management and underscore the complex interplay between HWT and HTE on tomato quality parameters.

Impact of diffusion layer structure of air electrodes on their performance in neutral zinc/iron - air batteries

Neutral metal-air batteries are of promising practical significance due to their excellent safety, environmental friendliness and strong resistance to carbon dioxide. Among them, the electrochemical performance and stability of air cathode will become a crucial factor restricting the development of neutral metal-air batteries. Herein, gas diffusion layer of an air electrode was constructed by applying different carbon materials including acetylene black (AB), carbon nanotubes (CNT), graphite (GP), ball milled graphite (m-GP) and their mixture with different mass ratios. Corresponding air electrodes were fabricated based on the MnO2/C as the catalyst. For the air electrode AB2@CNT8, its gas diffusion layer was obtained by using the mixture of AB and CNT with a mass ratio of 2:8, and it reveals good oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance and high discharge stability when applied to neutral zinc/iron - air batteries. In the neutral chloride electrolyte system, the discharge life of the AB2@CNTCNT8 zinc-air battery reaches 381.39h and its specific discharge capacity is 765 mAh·gZn-1. For the neutral AB2@CNTCNT8 iron-air battery, its specific discharge capacity reaches 863 mAh·gFe-1, and it can last a long working time of over 1384h. In addition, the performance of the air electrode AB2@CNTCNT8 that undergone a long-term operation can be quickly restored by simple hot water treatment. Results indicate that the air electrode AB2@CNTCNT8 has good performance, high stability and durability in the neutral chloride system, and is expected to be a potential candidate for the air cathode of neutral zinc/iron - air batteries.

Recent advances in pressurized hot water extraction/modification of polysaccharides: Structure, physicochemical properties, bioactivities, and applications.

Pressurized hot water, as a green and efficient physical treatment technology, has been widely utilized for the extraction and modification of polysaccharides, with the objective of enhancing the physicochemical properties and biological activities of polysaccharides applied in food systems. This article reviews the recent advances regarding the effects of pressurized hot water treatment (extraction and modification) on polysaccharide extraction rates, structure, physicochemical properties, and bioactivities. The potential modes and mechanisms of polysaccharides subjected to pressurized hot water treatment and the relevant applications of these treated polysaccharides are also thoroughly discussed. Finally, the challenges that it may encounter in commercial applications are analyzed, and the future trends in this field are envisioned. This article will be of great value for the scientific elucidation of polysaccharides treated with pressurized hot water and their potential food applications.

Physiological changes and molecular regulation in sweetpotato responses to low‐temperature stress

AbstractSweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam) is highly adaptable to different soils and climates, but it is more sensitive to cold due to its tropical origin. Low‐temperature stress is a key factor affecting storage and has a significant impact on sweetpotato quality. During sweetpotato storage, prolonged exposure to low temperatures causes chilling damage to the root system, altering its physiological functions. This is manifested by wilting of the tuberous roots, nutrient loss, and reduced antioxidant enzyme activity. At the same time, it leads to a significant downregulation of genes associated with cold signaling pathways. Understanding the physiological and molecular mechanisms of sweetpotato's response to low‐temperature stress, which is crucial for improving its quality during storage. In addition, methods such as high‐voltage alternating electric field, controlled atmosphere, hot water treatment, and hot air treatment can better preserve the nutrients of sweetpotato and maintain their high commercial quality during low‐temperature storage. This article reviews and summarizes key studies on the nutrient and physiological changes, as well as the molecular regulatory mechanisms of sweetpotato during low‐temperature storage, and identifies unresolved questions in this field. It provides insights for further research on low‐temperature stress in sweetpotato.

Influences of Processing Methods on Elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) Wine Quality

ABSTRACT Elderberry fruit is available in the market and is becoming more popular. However, winemaking techniques are under-studied with this fruit. This study aimed to determine the impact of three processing methods on elderberry wine quality. The methods were: No extended maceration followed by hot water treatment (EC0); 2 days of cold soak maceration followed by hot water (EC2) and boiled elderberry (EB) fruits before alcoholic fermentation. The results indicated that although the treatments did not cause significant differences in ethanol, glycerol, total acidity, volatile acidity and tannins, wine pHs were influenced by the treatments. Besides influencing the pH, EB treatment produced darker elderberry wine, whereas, EC2 wine had the lightest color. Treatments also influenced the final wine monophenol profiles and antioxidant capabilities. EB wine had the highest total anthocyanin content and antioxidant activities. EC2 wine had a significantly higher amount of total hydroxycinnamates compared to EC0 but was not different from EB-treated wine. The wine antioxidant capacities were significantly lower than in musts but were not different between treatments. Cold maceration in EC2 did not help the extraction of antioxidants in elderberry wine. The results indicated that heating through boiling might help disrupt fruit cells and assist in the extraction of anthocyanins. Cold soak enhanced certain compounds in elderberry wines. This research provided information for elderberry fruit wine fermentation with general processing methods.

Revisiting alkali pretreatment to transform lignocellulose fermentation with integration of bioprocessible lignin

This study emphasized the synergistic production of bioprocessible lignin and carbohydrates during a sequential liquid hot water and alkali pretreatment of lignocellulose, facilitating their subsequent individual fermentation. Increasing the dose of alkaline lignin from 0 to 8 g/L inhibited cell growth in anaerobic digestion, with varying levels of inhibition observed in the following order: hydrolytic bacteria < acidogens < acetogens. Alkali pretreatment was adapted to maximize yields of bioprocessible lignin liquor without compromising utilization of the carbohydrates. Increasing the NaOH dose from 50 to 200 mg/g-feedstock monotonically improved lignin yields, but further increases in alkali loading led to a decline in lignin recovery. Volatile fatty acids production from anaerobic digestion of the carbohydrate moiety consistently increased with higher NaOH doses. The optimal conditions for maximizing lignin yields were determined to be 105 °C for 30 min, with NaOH loading in the range of 150–200 mg/g-feedstock, resulting in approximately 80 % lignin recovery, of which 35 % was biologically utilizable. Liquid hot water treatment prior to alkali pretreatment was confirmed as necessary to preserve carbohydrates of 0.1 g/g-feedstock at a low temperature of 70 °C. These findings are crucial for economically producing bioprocessible lignin without carbohydrate loss, a key step towards achieving full lignocellulose valorization.

(Invited) Improving Withstand Voltages of Conductive Polymer Solid Aluminum Capacitors for Power Electronics Applications

Aluminum solid electrolytic capacitors using conductive polymer cathodes are promising passive components with high capacitance, low equivalent series resistance (ESR) and high thermal stability for applications in advanced power electronics systems. However, the working voltage of the aluminum solid capacitors is limited and does not meet the requirements of the power electronic systems. In this study, two approaches are introduced to increase the withstand voltage of the aluminum solid capacitors: introducing a highly resistive interface layer between a dielectric alumina layer and a conductive polymer layer and the development of novel modified PEDOT:PSS polymers.When a crystalline g’-alumina dielectric layer covered with a porous hydrated alumina layer was coated with a PEDOT:PSS conductive polymer, the breakdown voltage was ~500 V for the dielectric alumina film formed at 700 V. The dielectric breakdown occurred at voltages considerably lower than the anodizing voltage. However, the introduction of the simple hot water treatment after anodizing (post-hydration treatment) increased the breakdown voltage markedly, exceeding the anodizing voltage of 700 V.1 Cross-sectional STEM observation of the cross-section of the post-hydration treated specimen disclosed the formation of a nanovoids-dispersed layer between the dielectric layer and the hydrated alumina layer. The nanovoids-dispersed layer contained a reduced amount of polymer, so this layer is likely to be more resistive. Re-anodizing to convert the nanovoids-dispersed layer to a dielectric layer reduced the breakdown voltage to ~500 V. Thus, it is confirmed that the formation of such nanovoids-dispersed layer with high resistivity plays an important role in enhancing the breakdown voltage of the aluminum solid capacitors.Alkyl group-modified PEDOT:PSS conductive polymers were synthesized to control the crystallinity and conductivity. The crystallinity and conductivity of the PEDOT:PSS were successfully reduced by introducing the alkyl group, and we could confirm that the breakdown voltage of the capacitors was highly enhanced by using ethyl-PEDOT:PSS instead of commercial PEDOT:PSS. D. Quintero, H. Matsuya, M. Iwai, S. Kitano, K. Fushimi, H. Habazaki, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 16 (2024) 1737-1748. This study was supported in part by the MEXT-Program for Creation of Innovative Core Technology for Power Electronics (INNOPEL), Grant Number JPJ009777.

Effects of Hot Water Treatment and Immersion Period on Total Soluble Solids of Different Banana

An experiment was carried out to determination of different effects of hot water and immersion on Total Soluble Solids (TSS) of Different Banana Varieties. The experiment comprised three factors, namely hot water treatments (control, 45°C, 50°C, and 55°C), times of immersion (five minutes and ten minutes) and varieties (Mehersagar and Sabri). The experiment was laid out in completely randomized design with three replications. Main effect of hot water treatments, immersion periods and varieties were showed significant on percent total soluble solid. An increasing trend in TSS contents was observed in all treatments at all stages of ripening. Incase of main effect maximum TSS was found in Control temperature, Sabri variety and five minutes immersion periods respectively. Between two Banana varieties Sabri showed maximum TSS than Mehersagar in all treated conditions. The control treatments consistently showed higher TSS than the treated bananas, although none remained fresh by the 9th day. Five minutes immersed fruits showed maximum TSS than ten minutes in main and combined treatments. Longer immersion period had significantly effects and less increase TSS of the bananas than shorter immersion period. Among the treatments, both varieties showed lowest TSS in five minutes immersion at 50°C temperature than other treatments. Hot water treatment is better than untreated banana for storage and quality of banana.

Prestorage hot water treatments retard papaya fruit deterioration and enhanced fruit quality in cold storage

Papaya (Carica papaya) fruit has a short shelf life and suffers significant postharvest losses due to climacteric, instant ripening and perishable nature. Pre-storage hot water treatment (HWT) has significant potential to delay decay incidence in horticultural commodities. The present study was designed to evaluate effectiveness of HWT on &amp;lsquo;Red lady&amp;rsquo; papaya fruit for minimizing the fruit decay and maintaining the quality during storage. Physiologically mature unripe &amp;lsquo;Red lady&amp;rsquo; papaya fruit harvested from a commercial papaya orchard. Selected fruits were treated at three different hot water temperatures (50 &amp;deg;C, 52 &amp;deg;C and 54 &amp;deg;C) along with a control (room temp) for 10 minutes thereafter stored at 12 &amp;deg;C and 85&amp;ndash;90% RH for four weeks. Different sensory evaluation, fruit quality scales and enzymatic activities were observed at weekly intervals. Fruit stored after 54 &amp;deg;C HWT showed lower weight loss (4.63%), decay incidence (5.1%) and higher fruit firmness (12.92 N) relative to control. Fruit treated at 52 &amp;deg;C HWT improved the fruit acidity, but total soluble solids decreased than control. The results revealed that ascorbic acid (33.33 mg/100 g), total phenolic contents (35 mg/g FW) total antioxidants (47.50% DPPH inhibition), and antioxidative enzyme activities were improved by 52 &amp;deg;C HWT. It is concluded that pre storage papaya fruit treatment (HWT @ 52 &amp;deg;C) preserves the quality of fruit throughout storage on the other hand at 54 &amp;deg;C HWT helps in decreased fruit decaying. It can be summarized that papaya fruit can be treated with hot water in the range of 52&amp;ndash;54 &amp;deg;C to support the fruit shelf life and suppress fruit decay along with maintaining fruit quality. Practical applications: Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is a climacteric fruit which is highly susceptible to fungal attacks after harvest. Due to its perishable nature, it becomes decayed and huge amount of highly nutritious and medicinally important fruit is wasted. Recently people are more concerned about food safety which limits the use of fungicides for controlling the fruit decay in papaya. However, heat treatment has tremendous potential to control microbial decay, and keep food commodities safe from hazardous chemicals. In this study, the hot water treatment has successfully suppressed the fruit decay and maintained fruit quality of papaya in the course of entire period of cold storage. These findings indicated that use of hot water treatment is a practical approach for increasing the shelf life of papaya fruit.

Optimization of Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn. Ex Benth. Seed Germination Using Pretreatment Analysis

Agroforestry resources play a crucial role in conserving biodiversity, stabilizing soils and improving the livelihoods of rural populations. This study investigates the impact of different treatments on the germination of Acacia auriculiformis, an important tree species for soil restoration in Côte d'Ivoire. The work was carried out at the University Jean Lorougnon GUEDE in Daloa. The seeds used for this work were subjected to four treatments, including a control (T0); those soaked for 3 days in ordinary water (T1); a hot water treatment at 60°C (T3); a boiling water treatment at 100°C and a flame treatment (T4). A randomized block design consisting of four treatments in three blocks. The results showed that seed treatment in hot water at 100°C until cooling gave the best germination percentages and germination speed. The results also showed that soaking the seeds in water for three days produced seedlings with the shortest germination time. The study underlines the importance of pregermination for the selection of better-performing varieties and the implementation of effective reforestation programs. It also highlights the need for further research into the impacts of climate change on tree germination and growth. However, for a better policy of extension, production and improvement of this endangered forest species of socio-economic interest, mastery of the requirements of this species while maintaining optimal conditions for its germination in the nursery is more necessary.

Growth of zinc oxide nanowires by a hot water deposition method.

Recently, various methods have been developed for synthesizing zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures, including physical and chemical vapor deposition, as well as wet chemistry. These common methods require either high temperature, high vacuum, or toxic chemicals. In this study, we report the growth of zinc oxide ZnO nanowires by a new hot water deposition (HWD) method on various types of substrates, including copper plates, foams, and meshes, as well as on indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glasses (ITO/glass). HWD is derived from the hot water treatment (HWT) method, which involves immersing piece(s) of metal and substrate(s) in hot deionized water and does not require any additives or catalysts. Metal acts as the source of metal oxide molecules that migrate in water and deposit on the substrate surface to form metal oxide nanostructures (MONSTRs). The morphological and crystallographic analyses of the source-metals and substrates revealed the presence of uniformly crystalline ZnO nanorods after the HWD. In addition, the growth mechanism of ZnO nanowires using HWD is discussed. This process is simple, inexpensive, low temperature, scalable, and eco-friendly. Moreover, HWD can be used to deposit a large variety of MONSTRs on almost any type of substrate material or geometry.

Enhancing Titanium Osteoconductivity by Alkali-Hot Water Treatment.

Titanium and its alloys are essential in orthopedic and dental treatments owing to their high strength, corrosion resistance, and superior biocompatibility compared with those of other metals. However, titanium alloys are bioinert. Previous studies have indicated that alkali treatment (AT) is a straightforward method to create a surface oxidization layer on titanium, thereby improving its bioactivity. Herein, alkali-hot water pretreatment was used to enhance the osteoconductivity of titanium and to identify a simple and efficient means of enhancing the interaction between osteoblasts and implants for clinical applications. Commercial pure titanium plates were ground (CP Ti) and subjected to alkali solution and hot water treatments (AWT). Single-process CP Ti specimens were prepared via either AT or hot water treatment (WT). Network-like structural features were observed in the AT specimens and were further refined and densified in the AWT specimens. Water contact angle testing revealed that the hydrophilicity of the titanium specimen (80° for CP Ti) increased by 19° for the AT specimens but decreased by 59° for the AWT specimens. Mouse preosteoblasts (MC3T3-E1 cells) were used for in vitro evaluation. After 24 h of culturing, the number of attached MC3T3-E1 cells on the AWT specimens was 1.5 times larger than that on the CP Ti specimens, suggesting that the alkali-hot water treatment enhanced the initial cell attachment. Cell proliferation evaluation indicated that fewer cells were detected in the AT and AWT specimens compared with those in the CP Ti or WT specimens. However, osteogenic differentiation evaluation on day 10 revealed a 1.5-fold higher alkaline phosphatase expression in cells cultured on the AWT specimens than in cells cultured on the CP Ti specimens. These findings demonstrate the good cytocompatibility and osteoconductivity of AWT Ti, highlighting its benefits in orthopedics and dental treatments.

Hot water treatment in autonomous heat supply systems with several water intake points

Hot water treatment in autonomous heat supply systems with several water intake points

Application of hot water and cold air to reduce bacterial contamination on broiler carcasses.

Two physical treatments (heat via water bath and cold air) with various temperatures (20/70/75/80°C and - 80/-90°C) and exposure times (20, 30, 40 s) were carried out to identify a decontaminating effect on zoonotic pathogens on broiler carcasses. Subsequently, carcasses were analyzed for thermotolerant Campylobacter (C.), Salmonella, Escherichia (E.). coli and total colony count (TCC). Moreover, for the hot water treatment, qPCR with viable/dead differentiation (v-qPCR) was applied to detect viable but non-culturable cells (VBNC) of Campylobacter, referred to as intact but putatively infectious units (IPIU). Hot water immersion was tested on carcasses inoculated with C. jejuni and Salmonella, while cold air treatment was evaluated for naturally contaminated carcasses of broiler flocks colonized with Campylobacter. For hot water treatment, the statistically significant reducing effect was about 1 log10 CFU/ml for both Salmonella and Campylobacter for 70-80°C and 20/30 s treatments. The effect of heat treatment for Campylobacter was smaller when samples were analyzed with v-qPCR with reductions of 0.5-0.8 log10 IPIU/ml in mean. Cold air treatments at -90°C were effective in reducing the mean contamination level of Campylobacter by 0.4-0.5 log10 CFU/ml at all exposure times (p < 0.05). Hot water treatments showed a decreasing trend on TCC by 0.6-0.9 log10 CFU/ml (p < 0.05). TCC counts were not significantly affected by cold air treatment. For E. coli no statistically significant reductions were observed by hot water treatment. The cold air treatment at -90°C for 20 and 40 s led to a reduction of E. coli by 0.4 and 0.8 log10 CFU/ml (p < 0.05), respectively. Treatment of carcasses with higher bacterial levels tended to show higher reduction. The research demonstrated that the efficacy of physical treatments for decontamination of broiler carcasses was more pronounced for hot water immersion than for cold air exposure. In conclusion, the results shed light on the potential application of these physical treatments in practice to reduce the quantitative load of contaminating pathogens to enhance food safety in the broiler meat production.

Internal Disorders of Mango Fruit and Their Management-Physiology, Biochemistry, and Role of Mineral Nutrients.

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is a popular fruit grown in tropical and subtropical regions. Mango has a distinctive aroma, flavour, and nutritional properties. Annual global mango production is >50 million tonnes. Major producers of mango include India, Bangladesh, China, Mexico, Pakistan, Indonesia, Brazil, Thailand, and the Philippines, and it is shipped worldwide. Harvested mango fruit are highly perishable, with a short shelf life. Physiological disorders are among the major factors limiting their postharvest quality and shelf life, including when fruit need phytosanitary treatments, such as hot water treatment, vapour heat treatment, and irradiation. This review focuses on problematic physiological disorders of mango flesh, including physiology and biochemistry. It considers factors contributing to the development and/or exacerbation of internal disorders. Improved production practices, including pruning, nutrient application, and irrigation, along with monitoring and managing environmental conditions (viz., temperature, humidity, and vapour pressure deficit), can potentially maintain fruit robustness to better tolerate otherwise stressful postharvest operations. As demand for mangoes on international markets is compromised by internal quality, robust fruit is crucial to maintaining existing and gaining new domestic and export consumer markets. Considering mango quality, a dynamic system, a more holistic approach encompassing pre-, at-, and post-harvest conditions as a continuum is needed to determine fruit predisposition and subsequent management of internal disorders.

Hygienic Floor Management Using Hot Water: A Strategy to Reduce Piglet Mortality in Northeastern India

Background: Pig farming is crucial for the agricultural economy in Northeastern India; yet high piglet mortality remains a significant issue. This study investigates the impact of hot water treatment on floor hygiene in farrowing pens to address this challenge. Methods: Thirty-six Hampshire piglets were divided into two groups: a control group with untreated floors and a treatment group with floors cleaned biweekly with hot water at 70°C. Growth performance, feed intake, Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR), incidence of diarrhea, and mortality rates were assessed. Results: Results indicated that piglets on hot water-treated floors exhibited slightly higher body weight gains and improved FCR compared to the control group. Diarrhea incidence was lower in the treatment group, which also had no mortality, while the control group experienced an 11.1% mortality rate. Conclusion: The study concludes that hot water treatment effectively enhances piglet health and growth, suggesting its potential as a valuable management practice in pig farming. Further research with varied treatment frequencies is recommended.

Functional impacts of PtrMYB203 on phenylpropanoid pathway regulation and wood properties in hybrid poplar

The phenylpropanoid pathway is vital for plant growth and development, producing lignin and flavonoids. This study investigates PtrMYB203, a homolog of MYB repressors of proanthocyanidin (PA) biosynthesis in Populus trichocarpa, as a transcriptional repressor in the phenylpropanoid pathway of hybrid poplar (Populus alba x P. glandulosa). Overexpression of PtrMYB203 (35S::PtrMYB203) in hybrid poplar detrimentally impacted plant growth and development. Histological analysis revealed irregular xylem vessel formation and decreased lignin content, corroborated by Klason lignin assays. Moreover, 35S::PtrMYB203 transgenic poplars exhibited significant decreases in anthocyanin and PA accumulations in callus tissues, even under high light conditions. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis and protoplast-based transcriptional activation assay confirmed the downregulation of lignin and flavonoid biosynthesis genes. This genetic modification also alters the expression of several MYB transcription factors, essential for phenylpropanoid pathway regulation. Remarkably, saccharification efficiency in the 35S::PtrMYB203 poplar was improved by over 34% following hot water treatment alone. These findings suggest PtrMYB203 as a potential genetic target for enhancing wood properties for bioenergy production, providing valuable insights into the manipulation of metabolite pathways in woody perennials to advance wood biotechnology.

Simple hot water treatment to form nanostructures for the preparation of polyphenylene sulfide-aluminum alloy hybrids

ABSTRACT Polymer-metal hybrids (PMH) are providing the driving force for the development of automotive lightweighting. In this paper, the surface of aluminum (Al) alloy was modified by a simple, environmentally friendly surface treatment technique (hot water treatment) to form certain nanostructures. Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) was attached to the treated Al surface by an injection molding process to fabricate PPS-Al hybrids. The nanostructures formed on the aluminum surface by hot water treatment were found to be composed of AlOOH, thus the Al surface acquires better wettability properties. With increasing treatment temperature and treatment time, the nanostructures were continuously increasing and becoming larger in scale, but with a consequent decrease in stability. Therefore, when the treatment temperature was 70°C and the treatment time was 10 min, the medium-scale AlOOH formed the strongest mechanical anchoring effect with PPS. The joining strength of the PPS-Al hybrid was enhanced by 200% against the hybrid prepared by sandpaper sanding treatment, which reached 12.16 MPa. After tensile failure, the failure mode of the hot water-treated hybrids was a mixed failure mode of interfacial failure and polymer cohesion destruction. In short, these results provide insights for the preparation of environmentally friendly PMH products.

Germination characteristics of Angelica gigas and Angelica acutiloba as affected by cold stratification and hot water treatment before sowing

Germination characteristics of <i>Angelica gigas</i> and <i>Angelica acutiloba</i> as affected by cold stratification and hot water treatment before sowing