Valcineide Oliveira de Andrade Tanobe

Preparation and characterization of biodegradable composites based on Brazilian cassava starch, corn starch and green coconut fibers

Increasing search for new materials with high premium on eco-friendliness, new trend is emerging in materials development such as composites, which are well established for a wide variety of applications. With growing interest and importance of renewable bioresources has led to more stress on the use of locally available materials. This paper presents preliminary results on the preparation and characterization of composites based on Brazilian coconut fibers and starches of cassava and corn. The raw materials were characterized for their morphology, chemical composition, and thermal properties and X-ray diffraction studies. Coir fibers were also tested for their tensile properties showing increasing strength and Youngs modulus with decreasing diameter, while the % elongation remaining constant. Lignin content of coir was found to be 35%. Structure and properties of composites containing 0, 5 10, 15% fibers in both the matrices and prepared by compression molding would be compared. For the 2 types of starch, there was an increase in the tensile strength by the increasing proportion of fiber. The effect of moisture in the composite stress affects the strength and percentage elongation. The water absorption was higher in the composites made from cassava starch.

Feedstocks for Biofuels

Considering the great interest of the countries around the world and the great number of research of many groups from Institutes, Universities, Companies, aiming to allow the use of biomass to produce biofuel, this chapter may give data and basic information about vegetable cultures and organic residues available to generate any kind of biofuel. Concerning to this a general view is given about crops where its main constituent component is sugar, starch, oil, with some principal examples. Besides, data, facilities and examples are given about lignocellulolytic cultures and residues, as far as solid and liquid residues generated in some industrial processes. The data available, includes, amount of each potential energetic source of raw material for biofuel, physic-chemical characteristics, production region, agronomic data, productivity, production, and other information useful for researchers works aiming the production of bioethanol, biodiesel, and biohydrogen.

Resistência da linha de cola de painéis de Pinus taeda colados lateralmente com diferentes adesivos

The study compares the strength of the glue line of edge glued panels of Pinus taeda made with different industrial adhesives. Three types of adhesives (poly(vinyl) acetate (PVAc), emulsion polymer isocyanate (EPI) and polyurethane (PU)) glued in two side gluing orientation (radial and tangential) and analyzed after the conditioning tests (dry and wet) were analyzed. The 360 specimens were prepared for determining the shear strength of edge glued panels of Pinus taeda, and these were tested in a universal testing machine called EMIC. The shear strength of the glue line at dry condition was lower in the tangential side for the three types of adhesives analyzed. The PU adhesive showed the highest values of shear strength in the applied conditions, differing from PVAc and EPI adhesive when tested on dry condition and did not differ from the others adhesives when tested on wet condition. The highest percentage of wood failure was observed after the shear strength test at dry condition to EPI adhesive glued in the radial side. And in the wet condition, the EPI adhesive and PU adhesive glued in tangential side showed higher mean values of wood failure. Thus, it was possible to conclude that the strength of the glue line of Pinus taeda wood was influenced by the type of adhesive and side gluing orientation, and showed differently behavior according to the condition of use (wet or dry).

Milk Immunoglobulins and Their Implications for Health Promotion

Abstract Immunoglobulins (Igs) are glycoprotein molecules produced by plasma cells that act as a critical part of the immune response by specifically recognizing and binding to particular antigens, such as viruses, protozoa, bacteria, and toxins. Dairy fluids provide all known classes of Igs (i.e., IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG, and IgM) with antibody activities against various microorganisms. These Ig classes are found in high concentrations in colostrum—a form of low-volume milk secreted by most mammals during the first days of postpartum lactation. The growing interest in bovine Igs as therapeutics and functional foods has provoked the need for innovative process technologies for their isolation, purification, and stabilization. The purified Igs could be intended for the neonate of the species producing the secretion, or for a different species, such as humans. This chapter reviews the Ig composition of milk and colostrum in different species of dairy animals and stages of lactation, and presents the mechanism for transfer of passive immunity as well as potential health promotion. In addition, this chapter describes recent developments in Ig isolation, concentration, purification, and stabilization.

Impregnação do ácido 12-tungstofosfórico em sílica - parte II: efeito de diferentes solventes na impregnação e atividade catalítica na esterificação metílica de ácido esteárico

Materials obtained by the immobilization of 12-tungstophosphoric acid (PTA) on silica using the method of impregnation with excess solution in distinct solvents (aqueous HCl, methanol:H2O, and acetonitrile) were evaluated for use as catalysts in the methyl esterification of stearic acid. Optimum conditions were established for the impregnation of 0.5 g (w/w) of PTA on amorphous silica, under stirring at 150 rpm for 24 h, using 20 mL of 0.1 mol L-1 HCl as the solvent. After calcination at 200 oC, high conversions were obtained under mild reaction conditions, resulting in high turnover numbers. The catalyst was evaluated in ten catalytic cycles of use, where the activity was reduced only slightly, attesting its stability and the possibility to apply it to industrial production of methylesters.