Types Of Stoppers Research Articles

Wine bottle overcapping wax: An aesthetic or functional element?

Archaeological findings indicate that waxes and resins have been used for millennia as sealants to preserve bottled wine. Their use is largely linked to the belief that they limit the exposure of wine to oxygen. However, despite this historical use, the exact role of waxes and resins in limiting oxygen transfer has rarely been studied and even less so considering their ability to serve as overcapping materials to protect food and beverages. Hence, the present work investigated the effect of the presence of waxes/resins as overcapping materials and their impact on oxygen transfer through bottles corked with cork-based stoppers over a 1-year period of storage. The results demonstrated that waxes and resins have oxygen barrier properties which differ according to their chemical composition. For their application as overcapping materials, whatever the type of stopper considered, if the stopper has a lower permeability to oxygen than the wax and a surface treatment that effectively limits the transfer at the glass/cork interface, the wax will play a more aesthetic than functional role.

Migration of polyphenols from natural and microagglomerated cork stoppers to hydroalcoholic solutions and their sensory impact

During bottling aging, the wine comes into contact with the cork stopper due to the horizontal position of the bottle. The release of compounds, such as cork phenolic compounds, thus take place between the cork and the wine, depending on the type of cork stopper and the surface treatments applied. Many publications describe the extraction of these phenolic compounds in wine or hydroalcoholic solutions from natural corks, but few address microagglomerated corks, which are increasingly used by winemakers to seal their bottles. The aim of this study was therefore to compare the polyphenols, mainly hydrolysable tannins, transferred from natural and microagglomerated corks treated with supercritical CO2 into hydroalcoholic solutions. For this purpose, polyphenols released in macerates of natural and microagglomerated cork stoppers were identified and quantified by HPLC-DAD-ESI-QQQ. Suberic acid was also quantified. In this study, despite the high intra-“natural cork stopper” variability, significant differences were found between both types of stoppers for all polyphenols, the agglomerated corks releasing significantly less polyphenols; i.e., 25 times less. In contrast, suberic acid was extracted from both types of corks in similar concentrations; therefore, its extractability was not impacted by the type of stopper. A sensory profile was also carried out on the macerates. Macerates of natural cork stoppers were perceived with notes of “cardboard, dust, plank, wood” and “cork taint” significantly higher than supercritical CO2 treated microagglomerated cork stopper macerates. Moreover, the natural cork macerate with the highest content in polyphenol was perceived as being more bitter than that of microagglomerated cork stoppers.

Construction and Property Investigation of Serial Pillar[5]arene-Based [1]Rotaxanes.

Although the construction and application of pillar[5]arene-based [1]rotaxanes have been extensively studied, the types of stoppers for them are limited. In this work, we designed and prepared three series of pillar[5]arene-based [1]rotaxanes (P5[1]Rs) with pentanedione derivatives, azobenzene derivatives, and salicylaldehyde derivatives as the stoppers, respectively. The obtained P5[1]Rs were fully characterized by NMR (1H, 13C, and 2D), mass spectra, and single-crystal X-ray analysis. We found that the synergic C–H···π, C–H···O interactions and N–H···O, O–H···N hydrogen bonding are the key to the stability of [1]rotaxanes. This work not only enriched the diversity of pillar[n]arene family but also gave a big boost to the pillar[n]arene-based mechanically interlocked molecules

Effect of Residual Volume in a Three-way Stopper and a Syringe on Actual Dose of Radiopharmaceuticals: Effect of Different Three-way Stoppers and Washing

The purpose of this study were to evaluate the residual volume of radiopharmaceuticals in the three-way stopper and syringe used during radiopharmaceutical administration and the effect of washing. The three-way stoppers were a top injector tube, a top three-way stopper, and a Nipro three-way stopper with a needle. Sodium pertechnetate [99mTc] injection (99mTcO4-) was used to compare the residual volume of radiopharmaceuticals in the three-way stopper and syringe without and with washing. Clinically, 137 patients who underwent cerebral blood flow scintigraphy, dopamine transporter scintigraphy, and bone scintigraphy were included. N-isopropyl-p-[123I]iodoamphetamine (123I-IMP), 123I-N-ω-fluoropropyl-2β-carboxymethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl)nortropane (123I-FP-CIT), and 99mTc-methylene diphosphonate (99mTc-MDP) were used to compare the residual volume of radiopharmaceuticals in the three-way stopper and syringe without and with washing. The residual volume depended on the type of three-way stopper and radiopharmaceutical used. The residual volume could be reduced by washing, but the effect depended on the type of three-way stopper and radiopharmaceutical used. The residual volume of radiopharmaceuticals in three-way stoppers and syringes can be determined and subtracted to achieve more accurate dose control.

Wine Storage at Cellar vs. Room Conditions: Changes in the Aroma Composition of Riesling Wine.

Storage temperature is one of the most important factors affecting wine aging. Along with bottling parameters (type of stopper, SO2 level and dissolved O2 in wine), they determine how fast wine will evolve, reach its optimum and decline in sensory quality. At the same time, lowering of the SO2 level in wine has been a hot topic in recent years. In the current work, we investigated how Riesling wine evolved on the molecular level in warm (~25 °C) and cool (~15 °C) conditions depending on the SO2 level in the wine (low, medium and high), flushing of the bottle’s headspace with CO2 and three types of stoppers (Diam 30, Diam 30 origin and Diam 5) with different OIR levels (0.8–1.3 mg) and OTR levels (0.3–0.4 mg/year). It was demonstrated that the evolution of primary and secondary aromas, wine color and low molecular weight sulfur compounds (LMWSCs) during the two years of aging mainly depended on the storage temperature. Variation in the SO2 level and CO2 in the headspace affected mostly certain LMWSCs (H2S, MeSH) and β-damascenone. New aspects of C13-norisprenoids and monoterpenoids behavior in Riesling wine with different levels of SO2 and O2 were discussed. All three types of stoppers showed very close wine preservation properties during the two years of storage. The sensory analysis revealed that, after only six months, the warm stored wines with a low SO2 level were more oxidized and different from the samples with medium and high SO2 levels. A similar tendency was also observed for the cool stored samples.

Quantifying the Vial-Capping Process: Reexamination Using Micro-Computed Tomography.

A vial-capping process for lyophilization stopper configurations was previously quantified using residual seal force (RSF). A correlation between RSF and container closure integrity (CCI) was established, and component positional offsets were identified to be the primary source of variability in RSF measurements.To gain insight into the effects of stopper geometry on CCI, serum stoppers with the same rubber formulation were investigated in this study. Unlike lyophilization stoppers that passed CCI (per helium leak testing) even with RSF of 0 N owing to their excellent valve seal, serum stoppers consistently failed CCI when RSF was <15.8 N. When the plug was removed, both types of stoppers exhibited a comparable critical lower RSF limit (19-20 N), below which CCI could not be maintained. When CCI was retested at later time points (up to 6 mo), some previously failed vials passed CCI, suggesting that CCI improvement might be related to rubber relaxation (viscous flow), which can fill minor imperfections on the vial finish.To confirm component positional offsets are the primary sources of RSF variability, a novel quantification tool-micro-computed tomography (micro-CT)-was used in this study. Micro-CT provided images for quantification of positional offsets of the cap and stopper that directly correlated with RSF fluctuations. Serum stoppers and lyophilization stoppers are comparable in RSF variations, although lyophilization stoppers are more robust in CCI. The use of micro-CT provides a nondestructive and innovative tool in quantitatively analyzing component features of capped vials that would otherwise be difficult to investigate.

Cover Feature: Unsymmetric Bistable [c2]Daisy Chain Rotaxanes which Combine Two Types of Electroactive Stoppers (Eur. J. Org. Chem. 21/2019)

The Cover Feature shows contracted (top) and extended (bottom) molecular models of unsymmetric bistable [c2]daisy chain rotaxanes with two different units as stoppers: an electron donor triarylamine and an electron acceptor perylene bisimide. The distinct cyclic voltammograms of the extended (blue) and contracted (red) structures highlight how the electrochemical properties of the stoppers can be altered by the shuttling event, that is controlled here by pH stimulation. This use of the mechanical bond could be, in principle, implemented towards the design of sensing devices. More information can be found in the Full Paper by E. Moulin, N. Giuseppone et al.

Unsymmetric Bistable [c2]Daisy Chain Rotaxanes which Combine Two Types of Electroactive Stoppers

Mechanically interlocked molecules (MIMs) have emerged as intriguing building blocks for the construction of stimuli‐responsive devices and materials. A particularly interesting and well‐implemented subclass of MIMs is composed of symmetric bistable [c2]daisy chain rotaxanes. Topologically, they consist in the double thread of two symmetric macrocycles that are covalently linked to an axle bearing two switchable stations and a bulky stopper to avoid unthreading. Herein we report the synthesis and characterization of a series of unsymmetric bistable [c2]daisy chain rotaxanes that present two different electroactive units as stoppers (an electron donor triarylamine and an electron acceptor perylene bisimide unit). Using a combination of 1D and 2D NMR along with cyclic voltammetry, we demonstrate that the pH actuation of the mechanical bond can be used to modulate the electrochemical properties of the bistable [c2]daisy chain rotaxanes when switching between the contracted and extended forms.

Impacts of stopper type and material on the broadband characteristics and performance of energy harvesters

Exploiting nonlinear impact force induced by a stopper has been widely proposed to broaden the bandwidth of energy harvesters from mechanical vibrations, but the previous studies just directly employed the stopper and did not consider the effect of inherent factors of the stopper like its type and material. This letter devotes to efficiently utilize the stopper to broaden the resonance region of the energy harvester mainly from perspective of stopper type and material. Four stopper types are taken into account including the stopper with rigid and soft materials and the spring stopper. Experimental results show that two sides followed stopper type can greatly increase the bandwidth which is much better than other considered types. Importantly, using the stopper with soft materials or the spring stopper is followed by a wider resonance region and a higher output voltage of the energy harvester compared to that with rigid materials. Moreover, agreements between theoretical predictions and experimental measurements indicate the feasibility of using the trilinear spring model to describe the nonlinear impact force which is determined by stopper type and material. The present study delivers to essentially improve the output performance of energy harvesters by selecting the efficient stopper.

Impact of extractables from rubber closures on protein stability under heat stress

Commercially available, uncoated elastomeric closures were examined in regard to a potential contribution of extracted compounds from the rubber stoppers to protein aggregation under worst-case conditions. All rubber stoppers were confirmed to comply with Ph. Eur. quality requirements. Extraction with 2-propanol under reflux-conditions for 3 h led to closure-specific extraction profiles of the tested samples. One type of rubber stopper exhibited a considerably greater number and higher content of extractables. Four extracted compounds were identified as trialkyl benzene-1, 2, 4–tricarboxylates (trivial name: trimellitates), a substance class which is increasingly established as an alternative to phthalates. A highly concentrated aqueous solution of total extractables from this rubber stopper facilitated the formation of soluble and non-soluble high-molecular aggregates when incubated with model biopharmaceuticals (recombinant human immunoglobulin G (IgG) and recombinant erythropoietin (EPO)) under stress conditions (IgG: 60–64 °C for 130 min, EPO: 55 °C for 8 days). Furthermore, it was shown that the surfactant concentration (polysorbate 20, 0.1 m/v% vs. 1.0 m/v%) decisively influenced the formation of high-molecular aggregates. In case of EPO, the 10 fold increased concentration of surfactant was sufficient to prevent the aggregate formation completely.This study suggests the necessity of revisiting the current test system of Ph. Eur. monograph 3.2.9 for appropriate rubber stopper quality evaluation.

Evaluation of the Impact of Storage Conditions on the Biogenic Amines Profile in Opened Wine Bottles.

A survey of biogenic amine (BA) profiles in opened wine bottles has been established to monitor the level of biogenic amines (BAs) in opened bottles against time and other conditions. Bottles of red and white wine were submitted to different temperatures, stopper type (screw cap, cork), and use of vacuum devices. A total of six wines made from a variety of grapes were obtained from vineyards from regions across Poland. Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (DLLME-GC-MS) procedure for BAs determination was validated and applied for wine sample analysis. The total content of BAs from the set of immediately opened wine samples ranged from 442 to 929 µg/L for white wines, and 669 to 2244 µg/L for red wines. The most abundant BAs in the analysed wines were histamine and putrescine. Considering the commercial availability of the analysed wines, there was no relationship between the presence of BAs in a given wine and their availability on the market. However, it was observed and confirmed by chemometric analysis that the different storage conditions employed in this experiment affect not only the BAs profile, but also the pH.

Design and production of stopper made of concrete foam composite used for open channel conduit cover and parking bumper

Open channel conduit is designed and produced with the aims to reduce excess water, whether from rain, seepage, or excess irrigation water in an area. It is also included in one of the important components of urban infrastructure in tackling the problem of flooding and waterlogging. On the roadway, e.g. housing complex the open channel conduits should function the same, however conduit covers are needed. The covers should be also designed to function as parking bumper. This paper discusses the design and production of the stoppers using our newly invented materials; the stoppers are structurally tested under static, dynamic, and bump test. Response of the conduit cover are found from structural analysis using finite element software ANSYS MECHANICAL version 17.5. Two types of stoppers are introduced: flat and curvy configuration. It was obtained that both types are suitable for open channel conduit cover and parking bumper.

Sulfites and the wine metabolome

In a context of societal concern about food preservation, the reduction of sulfite input plays a major role in the wine industry. To improve the understanding of the chemistry involved in the SO2 protection, a series of bottle aged Chardonnay wines made from the same must, but with different concentrations of SO2 added at pressing were analyzed by ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) and excitation emission matrix fluorescence (EEMF).Metabolic fingerprints from FT-ICR-MS data could discriminate wines according to the added concentration to the must but they also revealed chemistry-related differences according to the type of stopper, providing a wine metabolomics picture of the impact of distinct stopping strategies. Spearman rank correlation was applied to link the statistically modeled EEMF components (parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC)) and the exact mass information from FT-ICR-MS, and thus revealing the extent of sulfur-containing compounds which could show some correlation with fluorescence fingerprints.

Impact of different types of stoppers on sensorial and phenolic characteristics evolution during a bottle storage time of a white wine from Chardonnay grape variety.

The objective of this work was to study the correlation between the variation of phenolic compounds and sensory characteristics in white wine during bottle storage and to explore the compounds that affected sensory evolution. Chardonnay (Vitis vinifera L. cv.) dry white wines were bottled under six types of stoppers and stored for 18months. The composition of phenolic compounds was analyzed, and the sensory attributes of these wines were evaluated by professional panel. Multivariate statistical analysis demonstrated that bottle aging period exhibited a more important effect on phenolic compound evolution than stopper type. Most of the phenolic compounds disappeared after 18months of bottle storage, whereas the wine sensory attributes were significantly improved after 15-month of bottle aging. No strong correlation existed between the phenolic variation and the dissolved oxygen content. Wine color characteristics developed towards better quality accompanying with the reduction of detectable hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives and flavan-3-ols, while the wine mouth-feel was related mainly to gallic acid and ferulic acid ester. This work provided some references for wine producers to select appropriate storage duration for bottled white wine.

Evolution of volatile compounds, aroma attributes, and sensory perception in bottle-aged red wines and their correlation

This study aimed to investigate the evolution of volatile compounds, odor activity value-based aroma notes, and sensory perception in Cabernet Sauvignon (Vitis vinifera L. cv.) dry red wines during an 18-month bottle-aging period, and further to assess the correlation between them. The wines were sealed with six types of stoppers, including natural cork, agglomerated cork, technical cork, and three types of polymer synthetic plugs, to provide different oxygen environments during wine development. Results showed that volatile compounds in all of the wine samples exhibited three evolution trends during the bottle-aging process. Most of the volatiles followed the second evolution trend in which their concentration increased within the first 3–9 months of bottle aging, and subsequently declined. The wines bottle-aged within 9 months possessed obvious aroma characteristics, which resulted from the abundant volatile compounds in this period, in particular, the presence of esters and alcohols. The 15-month bottle-aged wines showed the highest sensory quality evolution, suggesting that this might be related to a good balance of various aroma attributes. Partial least squares regression analysis revealed that wine aroma could develop toward good perception with the increase in ethyl octanoate, 1-octen-3-ol, and ethyl dodecanoate. However, the increase in (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, 2-methoxy-phenol, decanal, isobutyric acid, octanoic acid, and isoamyl acetate resulted in a negative sensory feature of wine aroma.

How does hydration affect the mechanical properties of wine stoppers?

Data related to the comparison of the mechanical properties of the different stoppers used in the wine industry are scarce. This study aims at comparing the effect of hydration (from 0 to 100 % relative humidity at 25 °C) on the mechanical properties of four widely used types of stoppers: natural corks, agglomerated corks, technical stoppers and synthetic (co-extruded) stoppers. For both natural and agglomerated corks, the Young’s modulus was significantly and similarly affected by hydration, with a constant plateau value up to 50 % relative humidity (RH) and a mean value around 22 and 14 MPa, respectively. For higher RH, the increase in water content leads to a decrease in the material rigidity (Young’s modulus <10 MPa), which is attributed to water clusters formation between polymer chains. Technical stoppers revealed a similar profile, but with a much smaller impact of the water content and with overall lower Young’s moduli values, around 5 MPa, throughout the RH range. The stiffness of synthetic closures was not affected by hydration, in agreement with the hydrophobic behavior of polyethylene. Differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis allowed us to identify a glass transition temperature (Tg) in cork (around 0 °C), and another one in agglomerated cork and technical stoppers (close to −45 °C, corresponding to additives). All together, for the first time the data highlight the comparative mechanical properties of such materials of the wine industry, and the progressive loss of the “cork-like” behavior of cork composites when other components are mixed with cork.

The Pharmaceutical Capping Process-Correlation between Residual Seal Force, Torque Moment, and Flip-off Removal Force.

The majority of parenteral drug products are manufactured in a glass vials with an elastomeric rubber stopper and a crimp cap. The vial sealing process is a critical process step during fill-and-finish operations, as it defines the seal quality of the final product. An adequate force to remove the flip-off button prior to usage is required to ensure product quality during storage and transportation until use. In addition, the complete crimp cap needs to be fixed in a tight position on the vial. In this study, we investigated the torque moment required to turn the crimp cap and the force required to remove the flip-off button of container closure system sealed with different capping equipment process parameters (having different residual seal force values).

Evolution of phenolic compounds and sensory in bottled red wines and their co-development

This study aimed to assess the correspondence between the evolution of phenolic compounds and the development of appearance and mouthfeel in Cabernet Sauvignon (Vitis vinifera L. cv.) dry red wines during 18-month aging in bottle. The wines were sealed with six types of bottle stoppers. The results showed that phenolic compounds presented four evolution patterns along with wine aging in bottle, mainly depending on their chemical nature. Most of the anthocyanins had significant differences in concentration amongst the wines sealed with the six bottle stoppers at the 18-month point. Analysis of partial least squares (PLS) revealed that wine appearance quality was positively correlated with the levels of malvidin-3-O-(6-O-acetyl)-glucoside-4-vinylguaiacol, gallocatechin and dihydrokaempferol-3-O-rhamnos, while the development of mouthfeel properties was positively associated with the evolutions of malvidin-3-O-glucoside-ethyl-(epi)catechin, peonidin-3-O-(6-O-acetyl)-glucoside, malvidin-3-O-(6-O-coumaryl)-glucoside-pyruvic acid and peonidin-3-O-glucoside-4-vinylphenol. No obvious association was observed between the development of wine sensory characteristics and the evolution of dissolved oxygen in wine.

Comparison of Electrical Properties and Bias Stability of Double-Gate a-HIZO TFTs According to TFT Structure

We fabricated two types of double-gate amorphous hafnium-indium-zinc oxide thin-film transistors: a back-channel etch (BCE) type and an etch stopper (ES) type. The normalized on-current and field-effect mobility of the BCE type are larger than those of the ES type. Furthermore, when applied with a positive bias stress, stability trends compared for each single-gate device are different according to structures. We suggest that the reason for the different electrical properties and bias stability originates from the ES structure in which some regions under the source/drain electrodes block the top-gate field; thus, there is no carrier accumulation or charge trapping into the dielectric layer.

Qualitative analysis of the volatile fraction of different kinds of wine cork stoppers by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

The qualitative volatile composition of simultaneous distillationextraction (SDE) extracts of different types of cork stoppers has been determined. Eighty one volatile compounds have been identified, belonged to different chemical families: terpenoids, aliphatic carbonyl compounds, furanoids, carboxylic acids, esters, phenolic compounds, alkanes and alcohols. Compounds responsible for the organoleptic wine defect known as �cork taint�, like 2,4,6-trichloroanisole, 1-octen-3-ol, 1-octen-3-one and geosmin, were found in all the cork samples.