Utilization Of Raw Materials Research Articles

Domestically Sourced and Imported Raw Material Utilisation and Labour Productivity: Evidence from Small and Medium-Scale Manufacturing Firms of Ethiopia

Domestically Sourced and Imported Raw Material Utilisation and Labour Productivity: Evidence from Small and Medium-Scale Manufacturing Firms of Ethiopia

COFFEE PRODUCT MARKETING ASSISTANCE TO BABADAN MERAPI COFFEE SMEs

Most MSMEs in rural areas utilize and increase the value of local raw materials to produce a product. Utilization of local raw materials as superior products for SMEs in Magelang Regency, such as in the Dukun District, more precisely in Paten Dusun Babadan 2. One of the SMEs that utilizes local raw materials is Arabica coffee bean processing. Products produced from these raw materials can also be quite a lot. However, good marketing has yet to support the amount of product produced. This is due to the need for more marketing personnel and the absence of a food product brand. Based on this, the servant assists the MSMEs in marketing strategies. The method used is ABCD Asset-based research. In assisting marketing activities, servants provide training on using social media as a marketing tool and making product labels or brands that become the identity of Arabica coffee bean processing products in Babadan village.

Can microbiology help to make aviation more sustainable?

Production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) using microbes still requires huge research efforts to fulfill the needs of aviation, both in the biological utilization of raw materials as well as in the biological processes to convert these materials (oils, sugars, aromatic compounds and others) into SAFs. However, we should also be aware of the microbiology constraints that, in some cases, will not allow us to reach the commercial level and that, by creating false expectations we will harm the credibility of microbiologists. However, in our opinion microbiologists can and should continue to find new avenues for producing SAFs, and for evaluating the advantages and feasibility of their production. This last step will require a close collaboration between researchers and industry.

Characterising the stone artefact raw materials at Liang Bua, Indonesia

At Liang Bua, the type site of Homo floresiensis on the Indonesian island of Flores, the stone artefact assemblages are dominated by two raw materials, qualitatively classified as chert and silicified tuff in previous studies. Field observations describe both stone types as locally abundant and of good flaking quality, but no systematic analysis has yet been carried out to characterise their nature. In this study, we conducted the first geological, mechanical, and quantitative assessment of these two raw materials using a suite of analytical approaches. Our results show that the two stone types are mineralogically alike in composition and derive from fossiliferous limestone that had undergone diagenetic silica replacement, but they clearly differ from one another geochemically. Therefore, the ‘chert’ and ‘silicified tuff’ categories used in previous studies are more aptly described as silica-dominated (i.e., SiO2-dominated) nodular chert and iron-rich (i.e., Fe2O3-rich) nodular chert, respectively. We discuss the implications of our results on the shift in raw material utilisation patterns at Liang Bua that occurred after ~ 46 ka and coincided with the arrival of Homo sapiens at the site.

Agro-Ecology in the Context of Sustainable Development: Upgrading Index System of Sustainable Development Goals

The article studies agro-ecological activity, which combines goals of agricultural production with maximum regard to environment protection and rational nature use. The relative system of statistic indices gives an opportunity to trace the process and key results of this integrated work within the frames of sustainable development. Methodology of shaping statistic indices provided in the article is based on international classifications used in the field of environment protection. They include international classification worked out by the Eurostat in collaboration with the UN European Commission and OESR and by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN (FAO) in the field of nature protection, nature preservation and using land resources. The authors in view of complex analytical and informational approach put forward indices connected with registration and statistical description of the role of agriculture and rural territories in bio-diversity preservation, greenhouse gas emissions caused by agricultural production and rural territories functioning, ecological services and raw material utilization for bio-fuel output. The research findings include the development of the index system, which could improve the quality of statistic control over standing and progress of agro-ecology carried out by national statistic services of CIS memberstates. The obtained agro-ecological indices are harmonized with basic principles of developing environmental statistics in the context of sustainable development.

Effects of annealing temperature on micro deep drawing of stainless steel-copper composite

With the advantages of high utilization of raw materials, high precision and low cost, micro metallic parts produced by micro deep drawing (MDD) have been tremendously used in a variety of fields such as micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), vehicle engineering and chemical engineering. In order to study the deformation behavior of two-layer stainless steel-copper composite foils during MDD, a series of MDD tests were performed with specimens annealed at temperatures ranging from 600 to 1000 °C. The results show that complete circular cups cannot be formed using the as-received material due to its poor formability. For the specimens annealed at 600 and 700 °C, significant wrinkling is observed on the drawn cups. Differently, few wrinkles are characterized on the drawn cups when the composite foils are annealed at temperatures ranging from 800 to 1000 °C. An optimal annealing temperature of 800 °C is obtained for the MDD of stainless steel-copper composite cups with high surface quality.

Preparation of B4Cp/Al Composites via Selective Laser Melting and Their Tribological Properties

B4C-particle-reinforced Al (B4Cp/Al) composites are widely used in various areas, e.g., armors, electronic packaging and fuel storage, owing to their several outstanding properties including high specific rigidity, excellent wear resistance and light weight. Selective laser melting (SLM) is favored in manufacturing complex components because of its high raw material utilization rate and high efficiency. In this work, a B4Cp/Al composite was successfully synthesized by SLM, and the effects of one of the most important parameters, scanning speed (100-700 mm/s), on the phase composition, density, microhardness and tribological properties of the samples were investigated. The microhardness, relative density and dry-sliding wear resistance of as-prepared B4Cp/Al composites were improved with the decrease in scanning speed, and the sample fabricated at a scanning speed of 100 mm/s exhibited a relative density as high as about 97.1%, and a maximum microhardness of ~180 HV0.1 (approximately six times more than that of the SLM-formed pure Al sample, 31 HV0.1), a minimum wear rate of 4.2 × 10-5 mm3·N-1·m-1 and a corresponding friction coefficient of 0.41. In addition, abrasive wear, adhesive wear and oxidation wear were found to be behind the overall wear behavior of as-prepared B4Cp/Al composites.

Synthesis of zeolite W from alkali fusion activated K‐feldspar by gel‐like‐solid phase method

AbstractZeolite W with the spindle morphology has been rapidly synthesized from alkali fusion activated K‐feldspar via gel‐like‐solid phase method after supplementing a small amount of silica‐aluminum xerogel. The effects of n(H2O)/n (SiO2), m (activation product)/m (xerogel), and crystallization time on the synthesis of zeolite W were investigated. The optimal synthesis conditions were m (activation product)/m (xerogel) of 3.92, n(H2O)/n (SiO2) of 25.8, and crystallization time of 12 h. The synthesized zeolite W was used to extract K+ ion from the simulated seawater. The synthesized zeolite W with the fluffier spindle morphology exhibited a higher K+ extraction capacity. The maximum exchange capacity of zeolite W for K+ ion reached 49.57 mg·g−1. The zeolite W synthesized by the gel‐like‐solid phase method possessed a superior K+ extraction capacity than that synthesized by the hydrothermal method when K‐feldspar was used as the raw material and an approximate K+ extraction capacity with that synthesized from chemical reagents. In addition, the recycling process of the mother liquor was designed. This work provides an effective way for the zeolite W synthesis and the resource utilization of K‐feldspar with advantages of high raw material utilization, low water content in the synthesis system, short crystallization time, and recyclable mother liquor after synthesis of zeolite W.

Recent advances in microbial production of L-malic acid.

Over the last few decades, increasing concerns regarding fossil fuel depletion and excessive CO2 emissions have led to extensive fundamental studies and industrial trials regarding microbial chemical production. As an additive or precursor, L-malic acid has been shown to exhibit distinctive properties in the food, pharmaceutical, and daily chemical industries. L-malic acid is currently mainly fabricated through a fumarate hydratase-based biocatalytic conversion route, wherein petroleum-derived fumaric acid serves as a substrate. In this review, for the first time, we comprehensively describe the methods of malic acid strain transformation, raw material utilization, malic acid separation, etc., especially recent progress and remaining challenges for industrial applications. First, we summarize the various pathways involved in L-malic acid biosynthesis using different microorganisms. We also discuss several strain engineering strategies for improving the titer, yield, and productivity of L-malic acid. We illustrate the currently available alternatives for reducing production costs and the existing strategies for optimizing the fermentation process. Finally, we summarize the present challenges and future perspectives regarding the development of microbial L-malic acid production. KEY POINTS: • A range of wild-type, mutant, laboratory-evolved, and metabolically engineered strains which could produce L-malic acid were comprehensively described. • Alternative raw materials for reducing production costs and the existing strategies for optimizing the fermentation were sufficiently summarized. • The present challenges and future perspectives regarding the development of microbial L-malic acid production were elaboratively discussed.

Analysis of potential factors affecting execution of overall equipment effectiveness in Indian sugar mills

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) is the foundation for the growth of the process industries as it ensures maintenance, performance and productivity updation. Through its usefulness to integrate with miscellaneous performance-enhancing strategies such as Total Productivity Maintenance (TPM), 5S, lean manufacturing (LM), total quality management (TQM) six sigma etcetera, OEE has now become a vital tool for necessary implementation. This study has analyzed the factors and sub-factors associated with OEE in the sugar industries of India. The study reveals the implication of general input/output, direct/indirect and associated indicating factors through a structured questionnaire. These factors accumulate information such as utilization of raw materials and the production environment, processing systems, labor effectiveness and circumstances under which these organizations work. The structured questionnaire was formulated after the discussions and suggestions of consultants, officials of the sugar industry, senior executives, whereas some questions were developed directly from the available literature. This study utilizes a survey-based research approach with a sample size of 104 process industries.The study supports the empirical research to get the benefits of this performance-enhancing approach. The response was recorded by the prominent 104 sugar mill industries of the country. 36 sugar industries were covered by multiple visits in person and 68 industries through official emails and prepaid envelopes.

Control of flow, thermal and pollutant concentration fields by entrainer air streams to improve fresh air quality intake into a semiconductor manufacture/ processing plant

Simulations of turbulent flow, thermal and concentration fields around a semiconductor manufacture/processing plant are reported. Monitored pollutants are ammonia (NH 3 ), hydrofluoric acid (HF), total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) and PM 2.5 that are released from chimneys on the roofs of various buildings. Some of the fresh air for the plant is supplied by the make-up air units (MAU) located on the roofs of the buildings. Returned pollutants through the MAUs can end up in the cleanroom thus decreasing the quality of wafer products. A 3-D transient large eddy simulation model was developed to predict the environment near the plant and transport of pollutants during the summer and winter seasons. Concentrations of pollutants at the inlet planes of the MAUs exhibited marked variations during the day. Pollutants with concentrations higher than industry thresholds were generally re-directed back into the plant through the six MAUs except two that were free of HF and TVOC. Modified flow, thermal and pollutant concentration fields in the vicinity of the plant brought about by introducing 12 vertically-oriented entrainer air streams (EAS) into the environment were also studied in order to quantify their effects on reducing the concentrations of pollutants at the inlet planes of the MAUs below accepted industry thresholds. It is shown that dispersion of the pollutants was markedly affected by the introduction of these novel entrainer air streams. Ingestion of pollutants into the plant was completely eliminated during (i) summer and (ii) winter except for MAU5 (NH 3 ) and MAU6 (NH 3 and TVOC) that exhibited noticeable reduction of concentrations by at least 73.3%. The proposed system can lead to cleaner production practices through eliminating product rejection, lower utilization of raw materials, reduced introduction of pollutants in the environment, etc.

Environmental sustainability improvement in chloromethanes production based on life cycle assessment

Chloromethanes (CMS), as major chlorine-consuming products and upstream raw material for emerging industries, play an irreplaceable role in the chemical industry and impose non-negligible environmental pressure during production. This study adopted the cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment approach to quantify the environmental performance of CMS production in China by using integrated data from five CMS enterprises, which underpin approximately 21 % of China's total CMS production capacity. An integrated and regionalized life cycle impact assessment method was employed to suit Chinese conditions and avoid spatial differences. The results indicate that fossil depletion is the dominant impact category, which was ascribed mainly to methanol production (37.0 %), electricity generation (27.3 %), and steam production (23.4 %). The coke oven gas-to-methanol process shows superiority in mitigating fossil consumption and CO 2 emission compared with the traditional coal-to-methanol process, with reduction ratios of 80.3 % and 83.2 %, respectively. Renewable energy power generation and pollution transfer in inter-regional power transmission also deserve attention. Green methanol, waste heat reuse, and advanced heat recovery technologies are recommended for further alleviation of the environmental burden. In addition, CMS-related industrial chains can improve industrial concentration and promote integrated development to achieve high-efficiency utilization of raw materials and energy.

Jujube Shell Based-Porous Carbon Composites Double-Doped by MnO2 and Ti3C2Tx: The Effect of Double Pseudocapacitive Doping on Electrochemical Properties.

In this study, manganese-containing porous carbon was synthesized from jujube shells by two-step carbonization and activation and was then covered with Ti3C2Tx to obtain double-doped biomass composites. In order to improve the interfacial properties (surface tension and wettability) between Ti3C2Tx and porous carbon, the effects of two media (deionized water and acetone solution) on the electrochemical properties of the composites were compared. The acetone solution changed the surface rheology of Ti3C2Tx and porous carbon, and the decreased surface tension and the increased wettability contributed to the ordered growth of 2D-Ti3C2Tx on the surface of the porous carbon. Raman analysis shows the relatively higher graphitization degree of JSPC&Ti3C2Tx (acetone). Compared with JSPC&Ti3C2Tx, JSPC&Ti3C2Tx (acetone) can maintain better rectangle-like properties even at a higher scanning rate. Under the effect of the acetone solution, the pseudocapacitive ratio of JSPC&Ti3C2Tx (acetone) increased from 10.1% to 30.7%. At the current density of 0.5 A/g, the specific capacitance of JSPC&Ti3C2Tx (acetone) achieved 96.83 F/g, and the specific capacitance of 58.17 F/g was maintained even at the high current density (10 A/g), which shows excellent magnification. Under the condition of the current density of 10 A/g, JSPC&Ti3C2Tx (acetone) can obtain a power density of 52,000 W/kg while maintaining an energy density of 8.74 Wh/kg. After 2000 cycles, the symmetrical button battery assembled with this material can still have a capacitance retention rate of more than 90%. This method realized the deep utilization of green and low-cost raw materials by using biomass as the precursor of composite materials and promoted the further development of carbon-based supercapacitor electrode materials.

Study on a Novel Process for the Synthesis of P‐Xylene by Selectivity Intensification in Benzene Alkylation with Methanol

AbstractThe alkylation reaction process of benzene with methanol was researched by Aspen Plus simulation based on the reaction kinetics data of modified ZSM‐5 catalyst. A novel production process was proposed for the alkylation of benzene with methanol to prepare p‐xylene (PX) based on selectivity intensification. The results showed that the selectivity of PX based on process optimization was more than 99.7 %. Selectivity intensification of PX production process could eliminate the separation of o‐xylene and m‐xylene, which owned the characteristics of high raw material utilization, low energy consumption and good economy. The research of current process could provide technical guidance for the production process of PX by alkylation of benzene with methanol, and help to form a new pattern of complementary and coordinated development of coal chemical and petrochemical technologies by using non‐petroleum‐based methanol and benzene surplus in the petroleum production chain.

Temperature estimates of historical Pb-Ag smelting slags: A multi-methodological approach

The process temperature is a key parameter for the reconstruction of historic smelting operations since it can provide valuable information on the technological state-of-the-art as well as on intrinsically related aspects such as the type and availability of fuel (e.g. charcoal, wood) and metallurgical know-how. Slag compositions in lead-silver metallurgy can show a wide variation due to the utilisation of variable raw materials and possible addition of fluxes, but also since Pb oxide can be a major component, affecting the thermal behaviour and viscosity of the slag melt. This study presents results for liquidus temperatures determined by a range of different data-based and experimental techniques – phase diagrams, thermometry calculations, differential thermal analysis-thermogravimetry (DTA-TG) and hot stage microscopy (HSM) – applied to a suite of slags broadly representative of the compositional and mineralogical spectrum of metallurgical remains of lead-silver smelting. We propose suitable applications of the different techniques and provide generalised archaeometallurgical implications for the investigated slag types.

Cost-effective fabrication of As40Se60 glass lenses enabled by SPS-SPDT process

In this paper, we prepare chalcogenide glass (ChG) discs with As40Se60 composition employing spark plasma sintering (SPS) with the advantage of higher raw materials utilization ratio compared with conventional coring and cutting processes. The hardness, composition, structure of the ChG discs are evaluated by HVS, EDS, XRD, Raman characterizations. The Vickers hardness of SPS glass (140.6 HV) is slightly lower than that of base glass. EDS data show that the atomic ratio of SPS glass does not deviate from the base glass. XRD and Raman results confirm that the SPS glass still retains the original amorphous structure. By ultra precision single point diamond turning (SPDT) method, an aspheric lens is fabricated from the SPS glass discs with the lens profile perfectly matched with the design. The modulation transfer function (MTF) of the aspheric lens within the full field of view is above 31%, which is comparable to base glass lenses and indicates lens performance satisfies the requirement of practical imaging devices.

Development of an integrated process for the production of high-purity γ-aminobutyric acid from fermentation broth

γ -Aminobutyric acid (GABA), a natural non-protein amino acid, plays an irreplaceable role in regulating the life activities of organisms. Nowadays, the separation and purification of food-grade GABA from fermentation broth is still a great challenge. This research utilized monosodium glutamate as a substrate for the production of high-purity GABA via an integrated process incorporating fermentation, purification, and crystallization. Firstly, 147 g·L −1 GABA with a yield of 99.8% was achieved through fed-batch fermentation by Lactobacillus brevis CE701. Secondly, three integrated purification methods by ethanol precipitation were compared, and crude GABA with a purity of 89.85% was obtained by the optimized method. Thirdly, GABA crystals with a purity of 98.69% and a yield of 60% were further obtained through a designed crystallization process. Furthermore, the GABA industrial production process model was established by Superproper Designer V10 software, and material balance and economic analysis were carried out. Ethanol used in the process was recovered with a recovery of 98.79% through Aspen simulated extractive distillation. Then the fixed investment (equipment purchase and installation costs) for an annual production of 80 t GABA will be about 833000 USD; the total annual production cost (raw material cost and utility cost) will be about 641000 USD. The annual sale of GABA may be at the range of 2400000−4000000 USD and the payback period will be about 1−2 year. This integrated process provides a potential way for the industrial-scale production of food-grade GABA.

Mechanistic insight into the tautomerization of histidine initiated by water-catalyzed N–H and C–H cleavages

The N-H and C-H activation is of great significance in organic chemistry and chemical industry fields, especially, in the utilization of petroleum raw materials. High NδH (tautomer of natural histidine) content would increase Alzheimer's disease risk. To inhibit this and improve the activation of N-H and C-H bonds, the isomerization mechanism from NδH to NεH of histidine-containing dipeptide catalyzed by water cluster was explored. The results discovered that water cluster assists this reaction by reducing the activation energies from 68.20 to 9.60kcalmol-1, and its size not only affects the reaction rate but also determines the reaction pathway in a degree. Moreover, water cluster, taken as a potential green catalyst, is more effective on the reactions involving N-H and C-H bond cleavages than reported common toxic organometallic compounds and has different catalytic mechanisms. This work also provides some theoretical guidance for the modulation of Alzheimer's disease induced by histidine isomerization.

Alternative feedstock for the production of activated carbon with ZnCl2: Forestry residue biomass and waste wood

In order to substitute fossil resources in activated carbon (AC) production, recent efforts have focused on the utilization of renewable raw materials. Regions with important wood industries offer two potentially underestimated resource types: forestry residue biomass (FRB) and waste wood (WW). Although these materials are widely available (approx. 130mio. m3a-1 FRB, approx. 50mio. ta-1 WW in the EU), they are mostly valorised through energy production, as they are high in ashes and may be contaminated with organics and heavy metals. In this study, both FRB and WW were treated via one-step pyrolysis for AC production. ZnCl2 was applied as activating agent at pyrolysis temperatures varying from 400 to 600 °C and residence times between 1 and 3 h. Overall, 76 samples were prepared and characterized thoroughly via elemental analysis, N2/CO2 ad/-desorption, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The produced carbons showed specific surface areas of up to 1430m2g−1 and a pore size distribution with a micropore share of up to 80 %. The presence of oxygen-containing functional groups was confirmed via FTIR. Potential feedstock contamination can be mitigated, as minerals and heavy metals could be leached out (up to –99.15 %) by an additional wash step and organic contamination undergoes thermal cracking during pyrolysis. The presented study could be a next step in upcycling considerable waste streams from the wood sector through localised and non-fossil-based AC production.

Potential Use of Ipil-Ipil (Leucaena leucocephala Lam.) As Fish Feed Ingredient: A Mini-review

Aims: This article aims examines the effect of giving Ipil-Ipil (Leucaena leucocephala) in feed on the growth of various types of fish and the nutritional content of Ipil-Ipil.
 The method used in this literature study is to review several research articles on the use of Ipil-Ipil on fish growth, and the nutritional content of various parts plant.
 The utilization of Ipil-ipil raw materials for fish is limited by the present of some antinutrient substances such as phytic acid, mimosine, tannins, as well as a fairly the high content of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of 39.5% and acid detergent fiber (ADF) of 35.10%. Studies evaluating the nutritional quality of Leucaena as a fish feed ingredient gave varying results. There are significant differences with using Leucaena leucocephala as a substitute food for fish feed. It shows an increase in performance from the point of view of a certain growth rate, weight gain and feed conversion ratio. However, not all dietary experiments are affected for fish growth due to the processing techniques applied that involve soaking and drying the leaves thus reducing the antinutrients in Leucaena leaf meal which are mostly mimosine.
 Conclusion: The leaves of Leucaena leucocephala have the potential to make considerable contributions to feeding of the Africa catfish as this study demonstrate the it’s suitability at 20% level of inclusion without any negative effects on the growth.