Addition Of Water Research Articles

Thermoplastic Starch Processed under Various Manufacturing Conditions: Thermal and Electrical Properties.

Eco-friendly materials like carbohydrate-based polymers are important for a sustainable future. Starch is particularly promising because of its biodegradability and abundance but its processing to thermoplastic starch requires optimization. Here we developed thermoplastic maize starch materials based on three manufacturing protocols, namely: (1) starch/glycerol manual mixing and extrusion, (2) starch/glycerol manual mixing, extrusion, and kneading, (3) starch/glycerol/water manual mixing and kneading. The physical properties were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and broadband dielectric spectroscopy. As expected from a partially miscible blend, the dielectric spectra revealed two distinct α-relaxations for the glycerol-rich and the starch-rich phases, respectively. By employing kneading after extrusion, the miscibility between the two phases was found to improve based on thermal and dielectric methods. Moreover, the addition of water during the premixing stage was observed to facilitate phase separation between starch and glycerol, with the α-relaxation dynamics of the latter being comparable to pure glycerol.

Ionic Twin Nanostructural Comparison: Propylammonium Butanoate vs. Butylammonium Propanoate and Their Interactions with Water.

This study investigates the nanostructure of two protic ionic liquids (PILs), [N0 0 0 3][C3CO2] and [N0 0 0 4][C2CO2], with similar polar head groups but varying alkyl chain lengths. An X-ray scattering technique and molecular dynamics simulations have been utilized to characterize the bulk and interfacial properties of these PILs. The findings suggest that the nanostructure of the PILs is primarily determined by the electrostatic forces between charged functional groups playing a dominant role. Despite differences in the alkyl chain lengths, the PILs possess remarkably similar nanostructures. Extending our investigation, we report the impact of water on the nanostructure. Our findings reveal that the addition of water disrupts interactions between cations and anions, weakening Coulombic forces. The disruptive behavior is attributed to the establishment of hydrogen bonds between water and ions. This comprehensive approach provides valuable insights into the nuanced factors shaping the nanostructure of these PILs, which are crucial for tailoring their applications in synthetic chemistry, catalysis, and beyond.

Cryo-EM reconstruction of oleate hydratase bound to a phospholipid membrane bilayer

Oleate hydratase (OhyA) is a bacterial peripheral membrane protein that catalyzes FAD-dependent water addition to membrane bilayer-embedded unsaturated fatty acids. The opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus aureus uses OhyA to counteract the innate immune system and support colonization. Many Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in the microbiome also encode OhyA. OhyA is a dimeric flavoenzyme whose carboxy terminus is identified as the membrane binding domain; however, understanding how OhyA binds to cellular membranes is not complete until the membrane-bound structure has been elucidated. All available OhyA structures depict the solution state of the protein outside its functional environment. Here, we employ liposomes to solve the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the functional unit: the OhyA•membrane complex. The protein maintains its structure upon membrane binding and slightly alters the curvature of the liposome surface. OhyA preferentially associates with 20–30 nm liposomes with multiple copies of OhyA dimers assembling on the liposome surface resulting in the formation of higher-order oligomers. Dimer assembly is cooperative and extends along a formed ridge of the liposome. We also solved an OhyA dimer of dimers structure that recapitulates the intermolecular interactions that stabilize the dimer assembly on the membrane bilayer as well as the crystal contacts in the lattice of the OhyA crystal structure. Our work enables visualization of the molecular trajectory of membrane binding for this important interfacial enzyme.

Fine-grained concrete properties in depending on carbon black additive introducing methods

The object of research is fine-grained concrete with carbon black additive obtained from the recycling of rubber tires. This study aims to determine a method for introducing carbon black into fine-grained concrete that achieves the best strength characteristics. The first method involves the preliminary preparation of a suspension by mixing a superplasticizer, carbon black, and part of the water. The second is the granulation of carbon black together with a superplasticizer in the ratio water: superplasticizer = 9: 1, followed by its introduction into the dry mixture and the addition of water at the last stage of mixing the raw material mixture. The addition of carbon black in powder form to the concrete mixture resulted in a decrease in strength from 35.1 MPa (without carbon black) to 34.9–25.6 MPa (with 4–12% carbon black). The effectiveness of the method of introducing granular carbon black was established, with an increase in strength by 40% in relation to the mixture obtained by the first method. The best strength of 50 MPa was demonstrated by the mix with 4% granular carbon black, which was 6% higher than that of the reference mix. Granulation of carbon black makes it possible to reduce its hydrophobicity and solve the problem of uniform distribution of carbon particles during homogenization of the raw material mixture in the presence of water.

Developing a recovery process for bioactives from discarded by-products of winemaking industry based on multivariate optimization method: Deep eutectic solvents as eco-friendly extraction media.

The recovery process for bioactives from discarded by-products of the winemaking industry is of great value considering both environmental and economic aspects. The goal of this study is to investigate the extraction of phenolic antioxidants from grape (Vitis vinifera) seeds by means of carboxylic acid-based deep eutectic solvents (DESs) in order to propose an environmentally friendly method based on a multivariate optimization approach. Carboxylic acid-based DESs were designed with several molar ratios (1/1, 1/2, and 2/1). Two polyols (glycerol and ethylene glycol) were used as hydrogen bond donors, while formic acid, acetic acid, and propionic acid were selected as hydrogen bond acceptors. The process parameters (water content, extraction time, and solid mass) were analyzed to optimize the process through Box-Behnken design with response surface method, after determination of the best combination for the highest total phenolic content (TPC) and the antioxidant activity yields. The maximum TPC yield (153.17 ± 0.003 mg-GAE/g-GS) and antioxidant activity yield (82.26 ± 0.004 mg-GAE/g-GS) were achieved by 50% water addition into the DES (ethylene glycol/acetic acid, 1/1), 85 sec extraction time, and 0.1 g grape seed.

Tuning Ferulic Acid Solubility in Choline-Chloride- and Betaine-Based Deep Eutectic Solvents: Experimental Determination and Machine Learning Modeling.

Deep eutectic solvents (DES) represent a promising class of green solvents, offering particular utility in the extraction and development of new formulations of natural compounds such as ferulic acid (FA). The experimental phase of the study undertook a systematic investigation of the solubility of FA in DES, comprising choline chloride or betaine as hydrogen bond acceptors and six different polyols as hydrogen bond donors. The results demonstrated that solvents based on choline chloride were more effective than those based on betaine. The optimal ratio of hydrogen bond acceptors to donors was found to be 1:2 molar. The addition of water to the DES resulted in a notable enhancement in the solubility of FA. Among the polyols tested, triethylene glycol was the most effective. Hence, DES composed of choline chloride and triethylene glycol (TEG) (1:2) with added water in a 0.3 molar ration is suggested as an efficient alternative to traditional organic solvents like DMSO. In the second part of this report, the affinities of FA in saturated solutions were computed for solute-solute and all solute-solvent pairs. It was found that self-association of FA leads to a cyclic structure of the C28 type, common among carboxylic acids, which is the strongest type of FA affinity. On the other hand, among all hetero-molecular bi-complexes, the most stable is the FA-TEG pair, which is an interesting congruency with the high solubility of FA in TEG containing liquids. Finally, this work combined COSMO-RS modeling with machine learning for the development of a model predicting ferulic acid solubility in a wide range of solvents, including not only DES but also classical neat and binary mixtures. A machine learning protocol developed a highly accurate model for predicting FA solubility, significantly outperforming the COSMO-RS approach. Based on the obtained results, it is recommended to use the support vector regressor (SVR) for screening new dissolution media as it is not only accurate but also has sound generalization to new systems.

Acmella oleracea Metabolite Extraction Using Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents

For plant metabolite extraction, natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) have many benefits over conventional solvents and ionic liquids. These advantages include high solubility and extraction ability, a low melting point (<100 °C), low toxicity, environmental friendliness, recyclability, and better biodegradability. This study analyses a natural deep eutectic solvent for Acmella oleracea (A. oleracea) metabolite extraction, considering the following process parameters: temperature, component ratio in the eutectic solvent, water addition, solid/liquid ratio, and extraction duration. NADESs were synthesised using a simple heating method, and the synthesis of the NADESs was verified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). In terms of total polyphenol content (TPC) and flavonoid content (TFC), the betaine/propanediol ratio in a NADES of 1:3 and S/L = 1:5 yielded the highest efficiency. A value of 8.37 mg GAE/mL was obtained for TPC by ultrasound-assisted extraction with 40% water addition, 25 °C extraction temperature, and 60 min contact time. The best result in terms of TFC was 14.50 mg QE/mL obtained through ultrasound-assisted extraction with 0% water added, 25 °C extraction temperature, and 60 min contact time.

Stimuli‐Responsive Molecular Duplexes Displaying Duplex‐to‐Duplex Switching

AbstractSynthetic duplexes with high stabilities have promising potential for mimicking biomolecular functions and developing supramolecular smart materials. Herein, we describe the synthesis and stimuli‐responsive properties of molecular duplexes derived from indolocarbazole–pyridine (I−P) oligomers. These duplexes adopt nonclassical helical structures, stabilized by I−P hydrogen‐bonding pairs in anhydrous chlorinated solvents. Notably, the longest duplex 62 (11‐mer)2 displays remarkable stability, forming twenty hydrogen bonds; its exchange energy barrier was determined to be ΔG≠=22.0 kcal ⋅ mol−1 at 75 °C in anhydrous (CDCl2)2. Upon the addition of water, a hydrated duplex 62 (11‐mer)2⊃10H2O was formed, with one water molecule inserted between each I−P hydrogen‐bonding pair. The Hill coefficient (n) for this process is 6.1, demonstrating extremely positive cooperativity. Conversely, the hydrated duplex 62 (11‐mer)2⊃10H2O was completely converted into the original anhydrous duplex 62 (11‐mer)2 when the temperature was increased. Interconversion between these two distinct duplexes can be repeatedly carried out by varying the temperature. Furthermore, reversible switching between hetero‐duplexes and homo‐duplexes was also demonstrated by controlling the temperature, with concomitant changes in the characteristic emission signals.

Stimuli-Responsive Molecular Duplexes Displaying Duplex-to-Duplex Switching.

Synthetic duplexes with high stabilities have promising potential for mimicking biomolecular functions and developing supramolecular smart materials. Herein, we describe the synthesis and stimuli-responsive properties of molecular duplexes derived from indolocarbazole-pyridine (I-P) oligomers. These duplexes adopt nonclassical helical structures, stabilized by I-P hydrogen-bonding pairs in anhydrous chlorinated solvents. Notably, the longest duplex 62 (11-mer)2 displays remarkable stability, forming twenty hydrogen bonds; its exchange energy barrier was determined to be ΔG≠=22.0 kcal ⋅ mol-1 at 75 °C in anhydrous (CDCl2)2. Upon the addition of water, a hydrated duplex 62 (11-mer)2⊃10H2O was formed, with one water molecule inserted between each I-P hydrogen-bonding pair. The Hill coefficient (n) for this process is 6.1, demonstrating extremely positive cooperativity. Conversely, the hydrated duplex 62 (11-mer)2⊃10H2O was completely converted into the original anhydrous duplex 62 (11-mer)2 when the temperature was increased. Interconversion between these two distinct duplexes can be repeatedly carried out by varying the temperature. Furthermore, reversible switching between hetero-duplexes and homo-duplexes was also demonstrated by controlling the temperature, with concomitant changes in the characteristic emission signals.

Preparation of emulsion-template oleogels: Tuning properties by controlling initial water content and evaporation method

Emulsion-templated oleogels can be used to produce healthy solid fat alternatives. Typically, the physicochemical characteristics of these oleogels are tuned by varying the oleogelator concentration. In this study, an innovative approach was developed that involved adjusting the water content in the emulsion. In addition, the impact of the method used to remove the water was investigated, including hot air drying and freeze drying. The oleogels were formulated using a fixed type and amount of oil (soybean oil) and oleogelator (octenyl succinic anhydride starch-chitosan complexes). Oleogels produced from emulsions containing a lower water content had greater stability, higher viscoelasticity, and better structural recovery, which was mainly due to the tight packing of the oil droplets. Furthermore, the lipid oxidation of the oleogels, as well as the levels of tocopherol and total phenols present, were negatively correlated with the quantity of water present. Oleogels prepared using hot air drying exhibited higher viscoelasticity and better structural recovery than those prepared using freeze drying, although their thermal stability was inferior. Overall, different physicochemical properties could be obtained by controlling water addition and removal, which means their properties could be tailored for different applications.

Water-powered, electronics-free dressings that electrically stimulate wounds for rapid wound closure.

Chronic wounds affect ~2% of the U.S. population and increase risks of amputation and mortality. Unfortunately, treatments for such wounds are often expensive, complex, and only moderately effective. Electrotherapy represents a cost-effective treatment; however, its reliance on bulky equipment limits its clinical use. Here, we introduce water-powered, electronics-free dressings (WPEDs) that offer a unique solution to this issue. The WPED performs even under harsh conditions-situations wherein many present treatments fail. It uses a flexible, biocompatible magnesium-silver/silver chloride battery and a pair of stimulation electrodes; upon the addition of water, the battery creates a radial electric field. Experiments in diabetic mice confirm the WPED's ability to accelerate wound closure and promote healing by increasing epidermal thickness, modulating inflammation, and promoting angiogenesis. Across preclinical wound models, the WPED-treated group heals faster than the control with wound closure rates comparable to treatments requiring expensive biologics and/or complex electronics. The results demonstrate the WPED's potential as an effective and more practical wound treatment dressing.

Stabilizing the High-Voltage Aqueous Battery Chemistry of LiMn2O4

Energy security across the varied landscapes of a nation in the era of renewable energy will be determined by the reliability of large-scale grid storage solutions. Economic aspects, both in terms of materials processing and deployment, environmental impacts along with typical battery parameters such as energy and power density, cycling rate, etc., have championed the aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZBs) on the forefront of decarbonisation of the grids. The possibility of harnessing the energy density exceeding 85-100 Wh kg-1 is closest to reality more than ever by the introduction of the Manganese-based cathodes, i.e. α-MnO2 and spinel-LiMn2O4, thus ensuring a sustainable energy transition without compromising the energy security of the countries.1,2 However, the practical scale deployment of AZBs is still facing hindrances beyond the controlled environment of the labs. Two crucial deterrence factors have emerged in the process of this scalability, with one being the corrosion of the zinc anodes at a high current rate and the stability of the oxide-type cathode active materials being the second. The latter issue particularly becomes more evident in terms of the realization of high capacity storage, especially at a low current rate when the dominance of proton intercalation in the oxide cathode materials subsequently leads to accumulation of electronically and ionically insulative ‘layered double hydroxide’ (LDH) type byproducts, e.g. Zn4SO4(OH)6.nH2O (ZHS) in the case of aqueous ZnSO4 electrolyte on the cathode interface during discharge and its dissolution with further progression of proton deintercalation.3,4 The accumulation of ZHS at the cathode interface limits the charge transport process by being an insulator, adding up to the reversibility woes associated with AZBs and its direct consequence of wattage loss. In the question of suppression of proton co-intercalation in such systems, existing literature only suggests efforts from the perspective of either conversion of the electrolyte essentially to water in salt type electrolyte or addition of non-aqueous solvents to the system with mass/volume ratio exceeding 50%. While these approaches effectively mitigate H+ co-intercalation in oxide cathodes, they compromise the safety advantages or cost-effectiveness of AZBs.5,6 Manganese-based oxide cathodes, especially the LiMn2O4 spinel, stand out for two compelling reasons. Firstly, they hold the potential for a high median discharge voltage of 1.8 V. Secondly, they have been assumed to intercalate Li+ exclusively in aqueous systems. However, this assumption regarding the charge storage mechanism in aqueous electrolytes has not been directly probed. Despite the widespread occurrence of proton intercalation among oxide cathode materials in aqueous systems, there has been a notable absence of in-depth investigations into the charge storage mechanism in aqueous electrolyte systems for LiMn2O4.7 To bridge the knowledge gap regarding the intercalation mechanism, we conducted experiments involving LiMn2O4 cathode materials in various electrolytic mediums, manipulating the Li+ to Zn2+ ratio in the aqueous sulphate electrolyte. Our electrochemical studies, complemented by in-operando X-ray Diffraction, ex-situ structural analysis through synchrotron PD, and DFT-based in-silico calculations, establish the thermodynamic factors governing the competitive intercalation of Zn2+, Li+, and H+, and provide a detailed account of the intercalation chemistry of LiMn2O4. Our investigation reveals that the charge storage mechanism of the LiMn2O4 system in an aqueous medium involves a competitive scenario of Li+-H+ co-intercalation, with Li+ intercalation favoured at higher Li+: Zn2+ ratios in the electrolyte.Furthermore, we identified the optimal ionic composition of the sulphate-based aqueous electrolyte to effectively mitigate detrimental H+ co-intercalation and its consequential impact on median voltage decay. We propose that the integration of LiMn2O4 as a cathode with optimal electrolyte concentration in AZBs represents a notable stride in advancing the feasibility of deploying AZBs for storage applications on a grid scale.

Electrochemical Conversion of CO2 to Fuels and Useful Chemicals over Metal Supported Solid Oxide Electrolyzers

Electrochemical conversion of CO2 and H2O to fuels and chemicals provides a promising approach to simultaneously mitigate greenhouse emission and store surplus energy, which reduces electricity network variation due to increased intermittent renewable energy (such as solar and wind) utilization. Metal supported solid oxide electrolyzers (MS-SOEs) developed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory provide advantages of rapid start-up, mechanical ruggedness, redox tolerance, dynamic operation, and low-cost materials. A relatively high operating temperature range of 600 to 750°C promotes energy efficiency and allows utilization of thermal energy such as steam.In this work, efficient and stable catalysts developed at the University of South Carolina have been infiltrated in the symmetrical and porous MS-SOE architecture. The phase purity has been analyzed by X-day diffraction. The morphologies of these infiltrated and posttest catalysts have been examined by scanning electron microscopy. Optimization of cell structure, processing temperature, cell voltage, and catalyst infiltration cycles for better cell performance will be presented. The stability of MS-SOEs has been evaluated during continuous operation for >200 hours. The cell degradation mechanisms revealed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy techniques will be presented.In addition to pure CO2 electrochemical conversion, effects of additional water and hydrogen in CO2 feedstock will be analyzed. Faradic efficiency and chemical selectivity calculated from gas chromatograph and electrochemical analyses will be presented.

Resistance and resilience: Tidal freshwater marsh response and recovery to acute and chronic saltwater intrusion

The ability to both resist and recover from disturbances like storm surge and saltwater intrusion plays a key role in shaping the structure and function of tidal marshes. In this study, porewater chemistry, vegetation, and soil elevation change were measured in field plots of a tidal freshwater marsh exposed to four years of experimental press (chronic) and pulse (acute) brackish water additions followed by five years of recovery to assess their resistance and resilience to saltwater intrusion. Press additions produced significant, widespread changes in marsh structure and function including increased porewater N and P, reduced macrophyte cover and species richness, and loss of soil surface elevation whereas pulse additions had little effect. Once dosing ceased, porewater chemistry, vegetation and soils in press plots recovered at differing rates, with porewater N and P declining to background levels after one year, plant cover and species richness increasing within two to four years, and soil surface elevation increasing to similar levels found in control plots after five years. The plant community in the press treatment converged with the other treatments after 3–4 years, though macrophyte species exhibited varying rates of recovery. Ground cover (Ludwigia repens) and soft stem species (Persicaria) that declined first, recovered faster than Zizaniopsis miliacea that was more resistant but less resilient to brackish water intrusion. While tidal freshwater marshes are resistant and resilient to pulses such as those that stem from hurricanes and storm surges, continued long-term intrusion events like sea level rise (SLR) will likely lead to conversion into brackish marsh. Understanding long-term responses and tradeoffs in resistance and recovery as shown in this experiment offers insight into the future trajectory of tidal freshwater marshes as well as broader ecosystem responses to disturbance and recovery crucial to management and restoration.

Single Point Mutation Abolishes Water Capture in Germacradien-4-ol Synthase.

The high-fidelity sesquiterpene cyclase (-)-germacradien-4-ol synthase (GdolS) converts farnesyl diphosphate into the macrocyclic alcohol (-)-germacradien-4-ol. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to decipher the role of key residues in the water control mechanism. Replacement of Ala176, located in the G1/2 helix, with non-polar aliphatic residues of increasing size (valine, leucine, isoleucine and methionine) resulted in the accumulation of the non-hydroxylated products germacrene A and germacrene D. In contrast, hydroxylation was maintained when the polar residues threonine, glutamine or aspartate replaced Ala176. Additionally, although a contribution of His150 to the nucleophilic water addition could be ruled out, the imidazole ring of His150 appears to assist carbocation stabilisation. The results presented here shed light on how hydroxylating sesquiterpene synthases can be engineered to design modified sesquiterpene synthases to reduce the need for further steps in the biocatalytic production of oxygenated sesquiterpenoids.

The Influence of Arabinoxylan of Different Molar Masses on the Properties of Rye Bread Baked by the Postponed Baking Method.

Rye grain is a good source of dietary fiber, phenolic compounds, vitamins, and mineral compounds. To prevent the staling process of bread, semi-finished bakery products are subjected to cooling or freezing, and this process is called the postponed baking method. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of rye arabinoxylans differing in molar mass on the properties of rye bread baked using the postponed baking method. The breads were baked from rye flour types 720 and 1150, without and with a 1% share of unmodified or cross-linked rye arabinoxylans (AXs). The molar mass of the unmodified AXs was 432,160 g/mol, while that of the AXs after cross-linking was 1,158,980 g/mol. The results of this study show that the 1% share of AXs significantly increased the water addition to both types of rye flour and dough yield, and this increase was proportional to the molar mass of the AXs used. It is shown that a 1% share of both AX preparations positively increased the volume and crumb moisture of bread baked by the postponed baking method. Cross-linked AXs proved to be particularly effective in increasing the volume and bread crumb moisture. Both AX preparations had a positive effect on reducing the bread crumb hardness of rye breads baked by the postponed baking method.

Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Computational Study on Microsolvated [B10H10]2- Clusters and Comparisons to Their [B12H12]2- Analogues.

Microhydrated closo-boranes have attracted great interest due to their superchaotropic activity related to the well-known Hofmeister effect and important applications in biomedical and battery fields. In this work, we report a combined negative ion photoelectron spectroscopy and quantum chemical investigation on hydrated closo-decaborate clusters [B10H10]2-·nH2O (n = 1-7) with a direct comparison to their analogues [B12H12]2-·nH2O and free water clusters. A single H2O molecule is found to be sufficient to stabilize the intrinsically unstable [B10H10]2- dianion. The first two water molecules strongly interact with the solute forming B-H···H-O dihydrogen bonds while additional water molecules show substantially reduced binding energies. Unlike [B12H12]2-·nH2O possessing a highly structured water network with the attached H2O molecules arranged in a unified pattern by maximizing B-H···H-O dihydrogen bonding, distinct structural arrangements of the water clusters within [B10H10]2-·nH2O are achieved with the water cluster networks from trimer to heptamer resembling free water clusters. Such a distinct difference arises from the variations in size, symmetry, and charge distributions between these two dianions. The present finding again confirms the structural diversity of hydrogen-bonding networks in microhydrated closo-boranes and enriches our understanding of aqueous borate chemistry.

Advancements in Sustainable Aviation Fuels: Impact of Nano-Additives and Ammonia-Based Strategies On Emissions

Abstract Our study investigates the impact of ammonia- and water-based nano-particulate additives on the combustion characteristics of Jet-A1 aviation fuel, using a 300-kW liquid swirl combustor. Experiments were conducted at two global equivalence ratios (Φ = 0.24 and Φ = 0.40), focusing on laminar flame speed (LFS) and flame properties through chemiluminescence imaging and modal analysis techniques. The primary objective was to understand how these nano-additives modulate flame dynamics and internal chemical reactions, alongside evaluating the environmental implications of combustion alterations. Results showed that integrating urea and water additives into the fuel matrix affected LFS, enhancing it at the lower equivalence ratio but having detrimental effects at the higher ratio. Modal analysis revealed a notable stabilizing influence on flame behavior, especially under leaner fuel conditions. The addition of water and urea influenced combustion chemistry and spray patterns, leading to more uniform sprays and more complete combustion. Chemiluminescence imaging demonstrated higher emission intensity of NH2* radicals compared to NH* radicals, varying with the global equivalence ratio. The data indicated a significant reduction in NOx emissions, particularly at lower equivalence ratios, accompanied by a slight increase in CO2 and CO emissions. This study highlights the potential of ammonia- and water-based nano-additives to enhance the combustion performance and environmental outcomes of Jet-A1 aviation fuel, with the trade-off of increased CO2 and CO emissions requiring further consideration.

Results from the InSight atmospheric imaging campaign

NASA's InSight lander monitored the Martian atmosphere while conducting its primarily geophysical investigation. Atmospheric imaging was used to study dust and ice at the site for over two Mars years in 2018–2022. An optical depth record, including dust and ice, was derived from systematic sky imaging in the mornings (for the first part of the mission) and evenings. Optical depths ranged from 0.5 to 1.9 but were typically under 1. Dust storms were seen at expected times in late northern autumn and early winter, including one shortly after landing, along with one late summer storm in January 2022. The optical depth record closely matched that of Curiosity, 600 km to the south, except for the expected additional water ice content during the aphelion cloud belt (ACB, spring to early summer). In addition to ice hazes, the ACB included discrete clouds, whose motion was tracked to show northeasterly to southeasterly daytime winds. While InSight recorded many meteorological vortices, no dust devils were seen, requiring that dust-devil occurrence was <10−3 times as common as during Spirit rover dust devil seasons.

Severity of Rolling Reconstituted High Moisture Barley on Ensiling Characteristics and In Vitro Ruminal Fermentation

Barley grain sources with variable kernel sizes makes adequate and consistent processing of kernels challenging. This study evaluated how the severity of processing for reconstituted high moisture (65% on DM basis) barley (RHB) affects ensiling characteristics and in vitro ruminal fermentation. Three independent sources of light (<630 g/500 mL) and heavy (>670 g/500 mL) barley were blended to create 4 sources of variable kernel sized barley (646 g/500 mL). Reconstituted barley was rolled through a roller gap width of 1.40 (RHBF), 1.86 (RHBM), or 2.31 mm (RHBC) and ensiled for 1 or 5 mo with dry rolled barley (DRB; roller gap width 1.86 mm) used as a control. The 1-mo RHB and the DRB were further evaluated using the artificial rumen technique (RUSITEC) to investigate the effects of severity of processing for RHB on ruminal fermentation, and gas, methane, and microbial protein production. Using a randomized complete block design (n = 4), 16 fermenters from 2 RUSITEC apparatuses were used to assess the 4 sources and 4 processing treatments. The addition of water increased kernel width before rolling and resulted in increased kernel length, width, and thickness for RHB relative to dry rolled barley. Increasing processing severity for RHB linearly increased kernel width. The percentage of fine particles (<1.18 mm) was greater for DRB than RHBF, but did not differ by processing severity for RHB. Dry matter, organic matter, and starch disappearance were not different between DRB and RHBF, but linearly increased with increasing processing severity for RHB. Fermenter pH tended to be less for DRB relative to RHBF. In conclusion, the reduction in fine particles with the addition of water for RHB may prevent a decline in fermenter pH and when processed to achieve the same PI using a smaller roller gap width, yielded similar DM and OM disappearance suggesting a lesser risk for low ruminal pH without compromising digestibility.